Even at this cheap witticism there was considerable laughter.
It made Dick's face flush.

"I'll show 'em whether we can play or not," he muttered to himself,
as he caught the signal from Greg. "We've got to start, too,
for we've got to match those two runs and then pick up this game
for our own."

Hi Martin was again at the plate. He swung his bat idly, grinning
mockingly at Prescott.

"I'll let you off without trying, if you'll give me second base,"
offered Hi tantalizingly.

"If the batsman talks again he will be ordered off the grounds,"
declared Umpire Tozier sternly.

But Dick felt the sting of his opponent's taunt and longed to
be even. Greg signaled for a drop ball---a difficult one for
a schoolboy to throw. It was the first time in the game that
Greg had asked for this.

Dick "made up" the ball with extra care, then let it go. It looked
like a chest-high ball as it came, and was so slow that Hi threw
back his bat to slam it.

"A home run on this!" thought Hi exultantly.

From the sides of the field came a mocking laugh, for the ball
had dropped, leaving Hi pounding wildly at the air.