“Keep your eyes open,” replied Toby sweetly.
Then the game went on. But the Spaniards had lost their grip, and Frank Lamson, too angry to care much what happened, passed Gus Whelan and allowed Manuel Sousa to land against a straight ball and send it speeding over shortstop’s head. Tony trotted home unhurriedly and Gus took second. Chuck Morgan brought the inning to an end by fouling out to the catcher.
After that, with the score 9 to 6, the Towners had only to hold their opponents for the last of the ninth, and, although Tim Chrystal threatened to make trouble for himself by passing the first man up, he soon settled down again, and by the time the runner had stolen second and reached third on a put-out at first there were two down, and Frank Lamson ended the contest by ignominiously striking out.
The Spaniards’ cheer for the victors was noticeably faint.
CHAPTER XIV
TOBY IS DOWNHEARTED
The next morning the Johnstown ferry began operations, at least theoretically. As a matter of fact, no one had appeared by nine o’clock, and, after pondering the matter, the boys decided to omit the first trip, arguing that if there were no passengers at this end there’d be none at the other, or, if there were, it wouldn’t hurt them to wait until 11.30! Toby was disappointed and showed it. He hadn’t expected that the capacity of the Urnove would be taxed on its maiden voyage as a ferryboat, but he had looked forward to having at least one passenger. Sitting idly there in the hot sun on the hard seats of the little gray launch made one feel decidedly flat! Arnold, though, was not in the least downcast. He had more perfectly plausible reasons for the lack of patronage than Toby, in an unnaturally pessimistic frame of mind, could counter. “You wait until eleven,” said Arnold cheerfully. “Bet you we’ll have three or four then!”
When it was evident that there was to be no excuse for making the nine o’clock trip they went up the gangplank and found seats in the shade of a shed at the end of the wharf, and presently Toby forgot his disappointment. They talked of yesterday’s ball game and Arnold, who had gone off the field a little bit peeved, today laughed at his grouch. “You surely turned the trick on us, Toby! Frank was as mad as—as——”
“As mustard,” interjected Toby helpfully.