In silence the Central players marched by their tormentors. Dick
gazed across the field to see Ted Teall swinging a bat at the
home plate.

"Teall!" called Dick, as he and the others dropped their jackets
at the batters' benches.

"Hello!" returned Ted. "I'm glad to see that you fellows really
had the nerve to come to-day."

"I saw you doing some pretty wild batting, Teall," laughed Dick
Prescott. "That kind of work won't save you when I get started.
Shall I throw you in a few real ones---hard ones---before we
get at it in earnest?"

"Go on!" retorted Ted scornfully.

"Oh, I won't hurt you," Prescott promised.

"You bet you won't," boasted Teall.

"He's afraid, even before the game starts," jeered a group of
Central Grammar boys. "That's right, Ted. Guard your life."

"Don't be afraid, Teall," Dick urged tantalizingly. "Trying to
hit some of my deliveries will be something like an education
for you."

"Bosh!" sneered Teall.