FORMING THE BASEBALL CLUB
After it was at an end the entertainment was voted the best yet given
at Oak Hall. Of course there had been a few small hitches, such as a
wig falling off of one actor and another breaking a guitar string just
when he was playing, but those did not count.
"It was splendid!" said Jessie to Dave, when they met.
"I am glad you liked it," he answered. "I know all the fellows did
their best."
"That table scene made me nearly die laughing," said Laura.
"That came in rather unexpectedly, Laura. It wasn't on the programme. I
think Link Merwell is responsible for it." And then her brother told of
what had been discovered--the legs of the table and chairs nearly split
in two.
"He must be a thoroughly bad fellow," was Jessie's comment.
"He is, and he would do almost anything to get me and some of the
other students into trouble," returned Dave.
Vera and Mary were waiting to speak to some of the boys, and Vera
laughed heartily when she saw Dave.
"Oh, but you make a fine German!" she said. "I think you ought to go
on the stage." And then she complimented Phil, Roger, and some of the
others whom she knew.
Mr. Porter had arranged to remain at the hotel over night with his
party. They left for Oakdale shortly after the entertainment, and Vera,
Mary, and some others went with them, in carriages of their own. Dave
noticed that Jessie was not herself, and when they were alone in a
hallway for a moment asked the reason.
"Oh, it's nothing, Dave," she answered, but without looking him
squarely in the eyes.
"But I know there is something, Jessie," he said, and his voice showed
his anxiety. "Have I offended you in any way?"
"No, not in the least."
"But you are angry with me."
"No, I am not angry." She kept her eyes hidden from his gaze.
"Well, there is something, and I wish you would tell me what it is."
"No, I'll not say a word. If you don't know what it is, it doesn't
matter," said the girl, and then rejoined Laura and Mr. Porter. When
they went away Dave noticed that her hand was icy cold, and his heart
was deeply troubled. Something was certainly wrong and, though he felt
sorry, he also felt nettled to think Jessie would not tell him what it
was. It was the first break of confidence that had occurred between
them.
Although Dave was morally certain Link Merwell had "doctored" the
chairs and the table, he could not prove it, and so he said little
concerning the episode, although he and Plum talked it over thoroughly.
Gus was greatly angered, for the trick had come close to spoiling the
playlet, and if Dave had urged it he would have gone and fought Merwell
before retiring for the night. Even as it was, he told Merwell that he
had been found out and warned him in the future to keep his distance.
"Dave Porter and I are going to watch you," said Gus. "And if we find
you trying anything more on, why, we'll jump on you like a ton of
bricks, so beware!" And for once Link Merwell was so scared that he
walked off without making any reply.
The entertainment the students had given brought the spring holidays to
an end, and once more the lads of Oak Hall turned their attention to
their studies. But with the coming of warm weather some of the boys got
out their kites, balls, and other things, while others took to rowing
on the river.
"Have you heard the news about Nat Poole?" asked Buster of Dave and
Roger one day.
"I've heard nothing," answered the senator's son. "Has he got a new
necktie?" For Nat loved neckties and had a new one on an average every
week.
"He is going to get a motor boat--told Messmer all about it. He said
his father bought it in New York and it cost four hundred dollars."
"Well, I never supposed Aaron Poole would spend that amount on a boat,"
was Dave's comment. "He is known as one of the most close-fisted men in
the district where I come from."
"Nat says the boat will beat anything on the river," continued Buster.
"Wish I had one."
The news that Nat Poole was going to get a motor boat proved true.
The boat came early in April, and was certainly very nice-looking and
speedy. Nat took out some of the boys, and the ownership of such a
beautiful craft made him a new lot of friends, so he was "quite a toad
in a puddle," as Ben Basswood declared. Once Nat asked Ben to go out
with him, but the latter declined, and then Nat took Link Merwell.
"I don't care if he has got a new motor boat," said Ben to Dave. "I
don't want to be in his company. If any of the other fellows want to
toady to him they can do it." Merwell was often seen with Poole, and
the pair became quite expert in running the motor and steering. Once
they had a race with a motor boat belonging to a Military Academy
student and came in ahead, and of this victory Nat Poole never got
through boasting.
As was to be expected, warm weather brought on talk of baseball. Dave
had pitched in more than one game for Oak Hall, with Roger behind the
bat, and he was asked if he would again consent to occupy the box for
the school, should any outside party send in a challenge.
"We'll most likely get a challenge from Rockville Military Academy,"
said Phil. "They are aching to make up for old scores."
"I'll pitch if the fellows want me to," answered Dave. "But if they
want anybody else----"
"We want you," interrupted Sam Day. "You're the best pitcher Oak Hall
ever had."
From that time on all of the boys put in part of their off-time playing
baseball, forming scrub nines for that purpose. Link Merwell loved the
game and liked to cover first base.
"Why don't you play?" asked Dave of Gus Plum, one afternoon.
"Oh, I--I don't want to push myself in," stammered Plum. He was now as
retiring as he had formerly been aggressive.
"Come on out," went on Dave, and literally dragged him forth. Then he
asked Gus to play first base, which the latter did in a manner that
surprised many of the others.
"He's quicker than he used to be," was Phil's comment. "I rather think
he'll make a good one if he keeps on practicing."
One Saturday afternoon a regular match was arranged, with Phil as
captain on one side and a student named Grassman as captain on the
other. Now, Grassman loved to go out in Nat's motor boat and so he put
both Nat and Merwell on his nine--the former to cover third base and
the latter first. He himself pitched, while Dave filled the box for
Phil.
It was certainly a snappy game from the start and at the end of the
fourth inning the score stood three to three. Then Grassman's nine
"took a brace" and brought in two more runs, and thus the score
remained five to three until the end of the seventh inning.
"Come, we must do something this trip!" cried Roger, who was on Phil's
side, and he knocked a three-bagger. He was followed by Shadow with a
single that brought in one run, and then came Buster with a hit that
took him to second and brought in another run. The next man to bat
knocked a liner to shortstop. The ball was sent over to Merwell on
first, but he allowed it to slip through his fingers, and another run
came in. Then Merwell muffed a pop fly, and after that the Grassman
nine got rattled, so that when Phil's nine retired they had ten runs
to their credit. To this they added three more runs in the ninth. In
that inning Dave struck out two men and sent a third out on a foul; and
thus the game ended with a score of thirteen to five in favor of Phil's
aggregation of players.
"Hurrah for Phil Lawrence's nine!" called out little Frank Bond, and
a great cheer went up. Dave was complimented for his pitching and Gus
Plum also received much praise for catching a hot liner ten feet away
from the base.
On the following Saturday the Oak Hall Baseball Club was formally
organized for the season, by the election of Phil as president and
manager, Ben Basswood as secretary, and Shadow as treasurer. It was
voted to make the manager captain of the nine. After much talking Dave
was declared the choice for pitcher and Roger for catcher, while, to
the surprise of some, Gus Plum was made first baseman, something that
greatly pleased the big youth. Merwell wanted to be first baseman, but
he was not even chosen as a substitute, much to his disgust. Nat Poole
was also left in the cold, but this did not worry him so much, for he
preferred to dress in style and lounge around, rather than go in for
anything which might dirty his hands or make them callous. When he ran
his motor boat he always wore gloves.
"It's an awful shame they put Gus Plum on the nine," said Nat Poole to
Merwell. "You ought to have that position--you can cover first base
better than he can."
"I know it--but it's all the work of Porter, Lawrence, and that crowd,"
growled Link Merwell. "As long as Plum will only toady to them they are
willing to do anything for him. It makes me sick." And he began to puff
away vigorously on a cigarette he was smoking.
"Well, maybe, if they play Rockville or some other club, they'll lose,"
said Poole. "Then they'll be sorry they didn't put on some better
players."
The baseball club soon got more challenges than they had expected. One
came from Rockville Military Academy, for a series of three games, to
be played during June, and two others from clubs belonging to Oakdale.
The latter were for single games, and, after some consultation, all of
the challenges were accepted.
The games with the Oakdale clubs were played on the outskirts of the
town, where a field had been inclosed and a grand stand erected. The
first was with an aggregation known as the Comets, and resulted in a
tie--8 to 8.
"Well, we can't complain about that," was Dave's comment. "They were
all big fellows."
"Yes, and two of them have played on college nines," said Shadow. "We
were lucky to hold them to a tie;" and in this opinion many of the
others agreed, and so did Mr. Dale and Doctor Clay, both of whom were
present. Job Haskers never went to games of any sort, for he considered
athletic contests a waste of time and muscle.
Vera Rockwell and Mary Feversham were at the game, and after the
contest was over, Phil went to talk with them, taking Dave with him.
While the girls were asking some questions, Roger came up, to speak to
Vera. He did not see Dave at once, but when he did his face fell, and
merely raising his cap he passed on.
"Oh, I thought Mr. Morr was going to stop," said Vera, pouting. "I
wanted to tell him how nicely he did the catching."
Phil and Dave remained with the girls until it was time to return
to the school. Then they learned that Roger had gone to Oak Hall in
company with Chip Macklin.
"It's queer he didn't wait for the crowd," was Dave's comment.
"He's acted queer half a dozen times lately," returned the shipowner's
son. "I don't understand it myself."
The next game was to take place on the following Saturday, and the
students practiced several times during the week. Dave noticed that
Roger took but little interest, yet he said nothing, until he felt it
his duty to speak up.
"Roger, what's wrong?" he asked, very much in the way he had put that
question to Jessie.
"Nothing, that I know of," grumbled the senator's son.
"You're not catching as well as you did."
"Perhaps you think the club ought to have another catcher!" flared up
the other, suddenly. "If you do, say the word, and I'll step down and
out."
"Now, Roger, I know something is wrong----" began Dave.
"Of course you know--and I know, too!" cried the senator's son, and now
his cheeks grew crimson. "I guess I'll resign from the club--and then
you can run things to suit yourself," and to Dave's amazement he walked
out of the room, banging the door after him.