“Get out of here!” rasped a voice sharply behind them.
The boys whirled quickly. Half the players overheard the sharp rebuke.
“What are you doing here?” demanded Coach Haxton angrily. “Neither of you reported as candidates.”
“I—I—We”—Larry hesitated, confused and angry. “We didn’t intend to try for the team. I was just trying to show this pitcher how to throw a curve, and I got interested and forgot I was intruding.”
“When I want any assistant coaches I’ll let you know,” snapped the coach angrily. “Either come out and try for the team, or keep off the grounds.”
“Very well,” said Larry, flushed, angry and yet, knowing himself in the wrong, unable to reply as he desired to do, “I will not trouble you again.”
“Hold on, don’t go off mad,” said the coach, relenting a little. “You look as if you could play. If you’re in college why don’t you come out and try?”
“I have conditions to make up,” replied Larry, soothed by the change in tone. “I’m sorry I intruded.”
“You owe it to the school to play if you can,” retorted the coach. “We need some fellows who know something. Where did you ever play?”
“We played together on a team up in Oregon,” responded Larry. “Katsura here was the pitcher”——