Tom went to his box with a firm step and a more certain feeling about his ability than he had ever experienced before. He was sure he could strike out at least two men, and he did so, including Langridge and Holly Cross.
Holly, who was a good batter, was laughed at by his chums.
“You’ll have to do better than that,” warned Langridge.
“Do better yourself,” retorted Holly. “I didn’t want to hit it, anyhow. I was giving you an imitation of how close I could come to it and miss it.”
“Those imitations don’t do on this circuit,” added the tall Kindlings. “It’s mighty risky in a game.”
“Oh, yes, in a game,” admitted Holly with a laugh.
Tom gave one man a chance to walk and the next popped out a fly that Dutch Housenlager neatly gathered in. The game ended with no runs for the ’varsity in the last inning and they had beaten the scrub by only two runs.
“It might be worse,” said Mr. Lighton grimly as the teams filed off the diamond. “It might be worse, Woodhouse, but I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I,” admitted the captain gloomily. “We tackle Boxer Hall in the first of the league series next week, and I think I’ll have to make some more shifts. What do you think of Langridge?”