The man looked up and waved a hand cheerily, and it gave Elmer a queer little sensation, altogether pleasant, in the region of his boyish heart to realize that that young fellow was laboring honorably there that bright morning, instead of languishing in jail with a forlorn outlook before him, thanks to the kind heart and generous impulse of the man who owned the estate. And it also pleased Elmer to feel that he, too, had had something of a share in what seemed like the reformation of Phil Lally.
And when noon came around the skies still smiled, guiltless of clouds; while a delightful breeze gave promise of a grand afternoon for the great game.
CHAPTER XIII.
READY FOR THE GREAT GAME.
"WHAT"S the matter with this for a corker?"
Lil Artha, the long-legged first baseman of the Hickory Ridge nine, put this question to his mates as the big carry-all containing the team, with several subst.i.tutes, came in view of the fine field at Basking Ridge on the afternoon when the great game was to be decided.
No one tried to answer.
The reason was plain, for they were utterly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the immense crowd that had a.s.sembled to see the antic.i.p.ated spirited contest between the rival teams of Boy Scouts.
In every direction were great ma.s.ses of people, all decked out in their holiday attire. Girls in white and every color of the rainbow waved parasols, gay handkerchiefs, and little flags on which the name of their favorite team had been emblazoned.
"Why," gasped Ted, when he could catch his breath, which had been actually s.n.a.t.c.hed away from him by his amazement, "there must be a thousand of them here!"
"Better say millions and be done with it," laughed Red, eager for the fray.
"The whole county has turned out to do us honor, it seems," remarked Matty.
"And because of that, fellows," put in Elmer, "every Hickory Ridge scout ought to shut his teeth hard and make up his mind to win out; never to give up; and if he makes an error, do something right afterward to atone for it."
"Right you are, my boy," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, the efficient scout master, who fortunately was enabled to accompany the boys on this trip.
"I was just going to say something along those same lines myself when you took the words out of my mouth. Hickory Ridge is watching you to-day, fellows; and Hickory Ridge expects every one of her sons to do his duty. n.o.body can do more."
"Well, here we are, safe and sound," remarked Ty, as the vehicles came to a stop in the midst of the tremendous throng.
"Wow! listen to that, would you?" said Toby, as cheers started that seemed to rock the very earth.
The team from Fairfield had arrived some time before. They were busily engaged in building up their batting abilities by sending out hot ones that a number of local baseball enthusiasts caught in the field.
"Say, they"re a lot of hustlers, now, let me tell you," declared Red, as he stood for a minute watching the actions of the others.
"Oh, they"re big enough," remarked Lil Artha, indifferently; "but since when did size count for everything in baseball? You"ll see the smallest fellow step up and knock out a homer, where a big stiff like me swings at three wide ones and sits down on the mourners" bench."
"Like anything you will," said Red, disdainfully.
"The pitcher who strikes you out has got to get up early in the morning, that"s what"; since the gaunt first baseman was noted for his keen batting eye and could pick out a "good one" as well as any in the business.
"Come on, fellows, let"s get busy," called Elmer, as he pa.s.sed a ball to one of the others, and in almost a twinkling the whole bunch was tossing back and forth, gradually widening out.
Then a few of them fraternized with their opponents, as they happened to know most of the Fairfield fellows, and in this way a number of Elmer"s team found a chance to take a turn at bat.
It was a sight that would not soon be forgotten in Basking Ridge. They certainly did have a splendid field for the sport; and the grand stand was a little gem in its way, but on such an occasion it did not begin to hold one fifth of the spectators who would have been glad of a chance to use it.
"Ground rules to-day, that"s sure, Elmer," remarked the field captain of the Hickory Ridge team, as he stood alongside the pitcher, receiving the ball at intervals and returning it.
"That goes, without a doubt," replied Elmer, as he surveyed the ma.s.s of people packed around the diamond and the field. "And if I were you, I"d look up Matt Tubbs right away, so as to have that matter settled."
"Sure," said Lil Artha. "And I reckon that a hit into the crowd will stand for two bases and no more."
"As near as I can see, there"s only _one place_ anybody can hit to-day for a homer," declared Elmer, again surveying the field.
"Tell me where that is," remarked Lil Artha, "because I want to know. As field captain, it"s my business to know; and as an humble batter, I might want to look that way before the game grows cold."
"You"ll notice that none of the crowd seem to want to pack upon the right of the center field," Elmer went on in a low tone. "If a batter could send one out there like hot shot, that managed to escape the fielder, it would never stop on that little down grade till he"d made the rounds."
"Aw, thanks!" replied Lil Artha, dryly. "I"m sorry that my specialty happens to lie off there in left; but I"m going to twist around a little and keep that down grade in mind. Perhaps, who knows?" and he winked at Elmer in his comical way as he hurried off to confer with Matt Tubbs.
Home Run Joe Mallon, the professional ball player who was home at Basking Ridge nursing a broken arm, was on the spot, ready to serve as umpire. He had been well known in this capacity before he broke into the big league, and people used to say that he seldom erred in his decisions. They called him "Honest Joe" at the time he umpired, and few ever disputed his decisions. He might make a slight slip, but everyone knew he decided plays just as he saw them and the rabble of the bleachers never had any weight with him.
Elmer and Mark found a chance to get together and confer where they could speak their minds without others hearing.
Later on they expected to warm up for business, but it was too soon, as yet. After the rest of the team had started in on their fifteen minutes of practice it would be time enough for Elmer to try out a few of his curves and drops.
"I had Jasper Merriweather show me the fellow," Elmer remarked.
"Meaning our slick friend, Lon Braddock?" questioned the catcher.
"Yes. That"s Lon talking to Henry Cobb, who plays third base for the Fairfield nine. And Mark, between you and me, I don"t just like his face or manner."
"Same here, Elmer," declared the other quickly.
"He"s got a tricky way about him, and I warrant you that fellow is going to give Matt Tubbs more trouble than all the rest of his team combined.
Look at him chuckling now. Ten to one he"s telling Cobb how he"s got the Injun sign on our signals, and what great stunts the Fairfield batters are going to do with your curves and slants."
"Well, you know the old saying to the effect that the fellow laughs hardest who laughs last; and Mark, believe me, we"re going to have that privilege. But I hope you won"t give it away by jeering the unlucky batter when he nearly kills the air swiping at one that is away beyond the end of his stick."
"I"ll try and keep a straight face, Elmer," chuckled Mark. "Got a piece of alum in my pocket right now, and before the game begins I mean to rub it over the side of my mouth, so as not to be able to crack a smile.
There go our boys out in the field for practice."
"Well, perhaps we"d better get a move on, then, and pa.s.s a few, though after our morning work I don"t feel much in need of it, Mark."
As Fairfield had already taken the field, and there was now only fifteen minutes left before game would be called, the battery of the rival team was also hard at work when Elmer and Mark started in.
Of course, neither pitcher tried his best in that preliminary bout. Well did they know that eager eyes were watching them for points connected with their delivery, and that these would be quickly seized upon for an advantage. Hence they contented themselves, as a rule, in sending in swift, straight b.a.l.l.s simply to warm up.
Hickory Ridge had batted against Matt Tubbs for several seasons, and yet never had a game been actually finished. Up to the present they had always broken up in a beautiful row, in which both sides claimed victory.
Elmer had pitched part of a game the preceding summer. At the time he had proven so much of a mystery to his opponents that, seeing prospective defeat staring his team in the face, Matt Tubbs had found some pretext for disputing a decision of the umpire to end the battle.
But since that time the Fairfield team had been greatly strengthened, and in all their games thus far this season they had beaten their opponents easily.