“I wonder what Graydon will say?”
“I don’t see how he can say anything,” came from Whistle-Breeches. “Any captain wants the best pitcher he can get.”
“And as for J. Evans Green, he’s the kind of a manager who wants to see games won, and keep possession of the pennant,” declared Pete. “There won’t be any kicking about the glasses, Bill. He’d let you wear hoop-skirts if it made you play better.”
But there was objection to Bill when he appeared for practice wearing the odd goggles, though it did not come from coach, captain or manager. It was first voiced by Bondy Guilder, and some of his cronies.
“Why don’t you play a lot of men with crutches, and their arms in bandages?” asked the rich youth with a sneer.
“I would if they could do better than some fellows I know who seem to think a ball will bat itself and catch itself,” declared the captain with energy, for there had been a slump in practice that day.
It even extended to Mersfeld the crack pitcher who issued passes to a number of men and was hit more times than he liked to count.
“What’s the matter with you?” demanded the coach half savagely as the scrub pulled over three runs in succession, and Mersfeld walked another man to first. “Are you dreaming that this is a tennis match, or don’t you want to play?”
“Of course I want to play!” was the reply, “only I can’t be at top-notch all the while.”
“You’ve got to!” was the curt decision. “If you don’t do better than this in the final try-out you’ll be a substitute instead of a regular.”