"If you really don't mind, sir, I'd like to see Prescott throw in a few more. He hasn't held a ball in his hands for a long time, and I think he has only been warming up."
"If you really think it worth while," nodded the lieutenant.
Then, raising his voice:
"We'll have you try just a few more, Prescott. Try to astonish everyone!"
Greg, whose face had flushed with mortification, now crouched a bit, sending Dick one of the old-time signals. Holmes was not even sure his chum would remember the signal.
It is doubtful if anyone noticed the return that Dick sent back to show that he understood.
Durville took a good grip on his stick, his alert gaze on the man in the box.
With hardly a trace of flourish Dick let the ball go. On it came, not very swift and straight over the plate. "Durry" himself felt a sinking of the heart that. Dick should let such an easy one leave him.
Yet Durville had his own work to do honestly. He must pound this easy one and drive it as far as he could.
Durville swung and let go. But just as he did so—-that ball dropped!
It passed on a level two feet below the swinging stick, and Greg, with a quiet grin, neatly mitted it.