"There isn't much to tell," replied the boy, in a low tone, and with an instinctive warming of his heart toward the sturdy lad who had come to his rescue. "I wanted to learn how to play ball, and knowing Reg Barker, asked him to teach me; that's all."
"And he insulted you, like the young brute he is. I see. Red Top, if you won't learn manners any other way I shall have to thrash them into you. So look out for yourself. Now, you new fellow, your name's Todd, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"And your father is Amos Todd, the millionaire?"
Alaric admitted that such was the case.
"Well, I know you, or rather my father knows your father. In fact, I think they have some business together, and after this whenever you choose to come out here if I'm around I'll see that you are treated decently. As for learning to play ball, the mere fact that you want to shows that you are made of good stuff, and I don't mind giving you a lesson right now. So let's see if you can catch."
Thus saying, the stalwart young pitcher, who held a ball in his hand, ran back a few rods, and with a seemingly careless swing of his arm, threw the ball straight and swift as an arrow at Alaric, who instinctively held out his hands.
Had he undertaken to stop a spent cannon-ball the boy could hardly have been more amazed at the result. As the ball dropped to the ground he felt as though he had grasped a handful of red-hot coals. Both his kid gloves were split right across the palms, and the smart of his hands was so great that, in spite of his efforts to restrain them, unbidden tears sprang to his eyes.
A shout of laughter arose from the spectators of this practical lesson; but Dave Carncross, running up to him and recovering the dropped ball, said, cheerily: "Never mind those duffers, young un. They couldn't do any better themselves once, and you'll do better than any of them some time. First lessons in experience always come high, and have to be paid for on the spot; but they are worth the price, and you'll know better next time than to stop a hot hall with stiff arms. What you want to do is to let 'em give with the ball. See, like this."