CHAPTER XV
TOMMY TASTES VICTORY
“Play ball!” called the umpire, a tall lad, a bit older than any of the players. Tommy and Dan Danforth, the rival captains, had decided that an older lad’s decisions would stand better than those given by a small youth. “Play ball!”
“Now, Tommy, show ’em how you strike ’em out!” called Sammie Sandlass.
“Yes, nothing less than a whitewash!” added Teddy Bunker. It was all in good-natured fun, and no one minded it.
“We’ll get all the runs we need this inning, and then we can take it easy the rest of the game,” predicted Captain Dan.
“Yes, we’ll see what kind of a wooden arm Tommy has,” put in George Squire.
“Come on! Play ball! Play ball!” advised the umpire.
Tommy sent in as swift a ball as he could, and he was quite delighted when Pete Johnson, the first one of the Juniors at bat, missed it.
“I guess I can curve, after all, eh?” asked the pitcher.
