Dave Porter and his Classmates/Chapter 23
CHAPTER XXIII
A GREAT VICTORY
Dave was much downcast over the way Roger acted, the more so because he could not understand it. He had half a mind to go after the senators son and demand an explanation, but after thinking the matter over concluded that it would do no good.
"He'll only get more angry," he reasoned. "Perhaps it will be better to speak to Phil about it."
But, much to his surprise, when he saw the shipowner's son, Phil had also had a "scene" with Roger, and the latter had said he was going to resign from the baseball club and devote himself strictly to his studies.
"I am sure it isn't his studies that are bothering him," said Phil. " He can go right ahead with his lessons and play baseball, too—if he wants to."
"Well, but why is he angry at me?" demanded Dave.
"I don't know." Phil paused for a moment. "Perhaps—but, pshaw! what's the use of mentioning that. I know there is nothing in it."
"What, Phil?"
"I don't think I ought to say anything—I know it's absurd, Dave."
"What is absurd?"
"Why—er—that is, you know Roger thinks a lot of Vera Rockwell, don't you?"
"Does he? I hadn't noticed it particularly—in fact, I thought he treated her rather coolly the day we played the game with the Comets."
"That was because you were around."
"Because I was around?" repeated Dave, in a puzzled way.
"Exactly."
"I don't catch your meaning, Phil."
"I don't see why you are so thick, Dave."
"Am I thick?"
"You are."
"Well, then, tell me what you mean."
"Didn't I just say that Roger thought a whole lot of Vera Rockwell?"
"Well?"
"And weren't you with Vera, Mary, and myself after the game?"
"Yes, but"
"When Roger saw you talking to Vera, he walked away in the coldest manner possible."
"Oh, but, Phil, that is absurd. Hadn't I a right to talk to Vera? I am sure she is a nice girl."
"So she is—a very nice girl—we think so—and so does Roger."
"And do you seriously think that Roger doesn't like it because I made myself agreeable to Vera?"
"I guess he thinks you ought to give him a show. He has never said anything, but I imagine that is what he thinks," concluded Phil; and the conversation came to an end as some of the other students put in an appearance.
This talk set Dave to thinking in more ways than one. He remembered several incidents now concerning Roger and Vera, and he also remembered how Jessie had acted during her visit to the school. Was it possible that Jessie, too, had felt offended over the manner of his friendliness to Vera?
"I treated her only as a friend—and I have a right to do that," Dave reasoned. "Roger has no right to be jealous—nor has Jessie." He felt so hurt that his pride rebelled, and for two days he said hardly a word to the senator's son. The break between the two threatened to become permanent.
But Roger did not resign from the baseball club. He mentioned it to Ben, Shadow, and some of the others, but they protested so strongly he had to remain as catcher. In order to do this, he had to consult with Dave, but the consultations were confined entirely to pitching and catching. Roger was not at all like himself, and his irritation arose at the slightest provocation.
On the following Saturday the Oak Hall nine played the Oakdale Resolutes, on the town grounds. As before, a large crowd assembled, including some of the cadets from Rockville, who were to open their series with Oak Hall the week following. From Phil, Dave learned that Mary Feversham and Vera Rockwell were to be present.
"All right, Phil, go and do the honors," said Dave. "I am going to attend strictly to pitching to-day."
"Going to leave the field to Roger, eh?"
"You may put it that way if you wish."
"Shall I tell the girls you don't want to speak to them?"
"If you do, Phil, I'll hit you in the head with the ball, the first chance I get," was Dave's reply, half in jest and half in earnest.
The Oakdale Resolutes were made up of young men who had played baseball for several years. In the past they had not cared to play "a boys' school," as they designated Oak Hall. But since the past summer they had come to respect the Hall, and they had been forced into the game by friends who had said they were afraid to play our friends. They had a great pitcher named Gilroy and a catcher named Barwenk, and they relied on these two players to "wipe up the ball-field," as they put it, with Oak Hall.
During the first four innings honors were about even, each side bringing in two runs. Then the nines began to see-saw, first one being ahead and then the other, until at the end of the eighth inning the score stood Oak Hall 7, Resolutes 6. So far Dave had struck out five players and Gilroy had the same number to his credit. But Gilroy had made one wild pitch, which had brought in Oak Hall's fifth run.
"Now, Dave, see if you can't hold 'em down to a goose egg," said Shadow, as the other club went to the bat for the last time.
"I'll do what I can," was the reply.
Dave was on his mettle, and so for the matter of that was every other Oak Hall player. But some were a bit nervous, and as a consequence one missed a grounder and another let drop a hot liner. The Resolutes got three men on bases, and then, with one man out, they got in two runs.
"Hurrah! That gives the Resolutes eight runs!" was the cry, and the town rooters cheered lustily.
Dave did his best to strike the next man out. But with two balls and one strike he sent in a ball that was just a little wild, and strange to say, Roger muffed it. Then the man on third came in, giving the Resolutes another run.
"Another! That makes the score seven to nine!"
"That was a wild pitch."
"Not so wild but that the catcher might have got it if he had tried."
"Steady there, Roger!" called out some of the Oak Hall boys.
"It wasn't my fault—the ball was out of my reach," grumbled the senator's son.
A quick retort arose to Dave's lips, but he checked it. He did not wish to make his quarrel with Roger any worse. He walked back to the pitcher's box and signed to Roger for a drop ball. Roger did not answer at once and he waited a few seconds and repeated the sign.
"Play ball!" was the cry. "Don't wait all day, Porter." Then the senator's son signed back and Dave sent in the ball with precision. The batsman swung for it, and missed it.
"Strike two!" called out the umpire. Dave next signed for an out curve. It was now three balls and two strikes and the next delivery would "tell the tale." In came the ball with great swiftness, and again the batsman tried to connect with it—and failed.
"Three strikes—batter out!"
"Hurrah, Porter struck him out, after all!"
"Now go for the third man, Dave!"
"Lessinger is at the bat. He ought to lift it over the back fence."
Lessinger was a heavy batter, yet twice he failed in his attempt to hit the sphere. But the third time he knocked a low fly to center. It was easily caught,—and the Resolutes went out with the score standing 9 to 7 in their favor.
"Now, fellows, we must do our best," said Phil.
"Don't hit at the ball until you get a good one, and then lift it clear over Hamden's stables if you can." The stables were two blocks away, and a ball sent a quarter of that distance meant a home run.
Shadow was first to the bat and got safely to first. Then came Gus Plum, and to the wonder of many he hit the ball for a two-bagger, bringing Shadow in. Then Dave got to first while Plum went to third. Next came an out, and then a hit by Ben Basswood took Dave to third and brought Plum home.
The Oak Hall rooters were now cheering and yelling like mad, and this got the Resolute pitcher rattled and he gave the next batsman his base on balls. Then came another safe hit by Buster Beggs, and the game ended with the score standing, Oak Hall 10, Resolutes 9.
"Hurrah, Oak Hall wins!"
"That's a close finish right enough, isn't it?"
The cheering by the Oak Hall adherents was tremendous, while the Resolute followers had little to say. Many came to congratulate Dave on his excellent pitching and others congratulated Roger on his catching. The other players were likewise remembered, even Plum coming in for many handshakes and thumps on the shoulder.
In the crowd Dave saw Vera and Mary, and spoke to them for a minute or two. Both girls thought the game the best they had ever seen.
"Oh, I think your pitching was superb!" cried Vera, enthusiastically. "I hope you do as well when you play Rockville."
"I'll do my best," answered Dave, and then turned to rejoin some of his fellow-players. He came face to face with Roger and was about to speak, when the senator's son turned his head the other way and passed on.
The club members had come to Oakdale in the carryall and a carriage, and they returned to the school in these turnouts. Dave and Phil looked for Roger, but he was not to be found. Phil, as captain of the club, had had so many details to look after that he had not gotten time to speak to Mary, much to his disappointment. But she had waved her hand to him and smiled, which was one consolation.
Link Merwell and Nat Poole had predicted feat for Oak Hall, and when instead a victory was gained this pair did not know what to say.
"I reckon it was a fluke," was Merwell's comment. "They couldn't do it again in a hundred years. Must have been something wrong with the Resolute players."
"I heard their pitcher had a sore arm, and they had a substitute first baseman," said Nat Poole. "That would make a big difference."
"I hope Rockville Military Academy does 'em up brown," went on Link Merwell. The thought of having the honor to stand up for his own school never entered his head.
"So do I, Link. It will take some of the conceit out of Porter and his crowd. As pitcher Porter, of course, thinks he is the whole thing."
"Say, did you notice how cold Porter and Morr are getting toward each other?" And Link Merwell chuckled gleefully.
"Yes. I guess they are stirred up over that girl right now."
"You bet! And maybe they'll be stirred up some more before I am done with them."
On the following Thursday afternoon, Dave, Phil, and Plum went out for a row on the river. It was a beautiful day, clear and warm, and the three got out a boat with two pairs of oars and a rudder, so that all might have a share in handling the craft at the same time.
"Let us row down to Bush Island," suggested Plum, naming an island about two miles away, which took its name from a patch of huckleberry bushes growing there. It was a pleasant spot, and one end of the island was occasionally used by the folks of Oakdale for picnic grounds.
"That suits me," answered Dave, and soon the three boys were off, never dreaming of what this little trip was destined to bring forth.