After this there was nothing to do but to introduce the newcomer, and he promptly introduced the two girls, who proved to be residents of Haven Point, and then introduced his friend, Pete Stevens.
"Pete is going to be my backstop on our nine," explained Tommy Flanders. "You know, I suppose, that I am the pitcher," he added in an off-hand manner.
"And he's one wonder pitcher, believe me!" piped in Pete Stevens. He was a stocky youth with small ferret-like eyes.
"I understand you're going to have quite a nine," remarked Jack politely.
"Say, it will be the finest baseball aggregation this part of the country has ever seen – that is, for a school nine," boasted Tommy Flanders. "You know, our school is long on athletics. We intend to put it over everything within traveling distance."
"That is, provided the other schools are not too scared to accept our challenges," added Pete Stevens.
"You won't find Colby Hall afraid to accept any reasonable challenge," retorted Gif, somewhat disgusted with the boasting manner of the newcomers.
"We've waxed a few schools around here, and maybe we can take a round out of Longley Academy," Fred could not help but add.
"You'll never take a round out of Longley, believe me," sneered Pete Stevens. "We'll put it all over you fellows just as sure as you're born."
"Well, we'll see," remarked Jack, and his face showed that he did not admire having this discussion before the girls.
"Say, I'll tell you what I'll do, Rover," said Tommy Flanders, advancing close to the young captain. "I'll bet you ten dollars that we win the first game of ball we play with you."
"You'll have to excuse me, Flanders, but I'm not betting," answered Jack.
"Afraid, are you?"
"I said I was not betting. And now if you'll excuse us, we'll finish our ice cream and cake," added the young captain coldly.
"Oh, well, if you're afraid to bet, we'll let it go at that," responded Tommy Flanders carelessly. Then he and his companion and the girls with them moved off to a table in the rear of the ice-cream parlor.
"Of all the conceited fools – " began Andy, when Jack caught him by the arm.
"Drop it, Andy," and Jack looked at his cousin and then at the girls, all of whom had been much disturbed over the possibility of a quarrel.
"Oh, sure, let's drop it," was Andy's quick answer. And then to change the subject he began a funny story and soon he had the girls shrieking with laughter. Then they finished their ice cream and cake and left the place.
"Oh, Jack, if you do play them I hope you beat them good," said Ruth, when the girls and the cadets were ready to separate.
"We'll do our best," was his reply.
"I hope when that match comes off we'll be able to see it," said Martha.
"Of course you'll all have to be on hand," answered her brother quickly. "We'll want you girls to encourage us."
"I want to see you beat Longley Academy," declared Mary.
"So say we all of us!" came in a chorus from the others.
CHAPTER VI
PLAYING HIXLEY HIGH
"Now for some real baseball practice, boys!"
"Right you are, Jack! I'm mighty glad it has cleared off at last."
"If we are going to have our annual game with Hixley High two weeks from to-day we had better get busy," put in Gif Garrison. "I had no idea they would ask for a match so early in the season."
"It's on account of the game they expect to have this year with Longley Academy," remarked Walt Baxter. "You see, they are to play the new school too."
"Yes, and I heard that those Longley fellows were boasting they were going to do up Hixley, just the same as they were going to do us up."
"Gee, but that Tommy Flanders makes me sick!" broke in Fred. "I really think he's the most conceited fellow I ever met."
"Just the same, I've heard he's a pretty good player," remarked Gif. "He is not only a good pitcher, but quite a good batsman. And they say that his crony is also quite a good all-around player."
The regular nine, minus two players who had left the school the term previous, were out on the diamond practicing. A little later, with two substitutes, they were to play a match of five innings against a scrub team picked from the most available of the ball players left.
Jack Rover was in the box and was putting some swift ones over the plate. As yet he did not have perfect control of the horsehide, and as a consequence it occasionally went over the catcher's head.
Three games of baseball had been arranged for Colby Hall, one with Hixley High, another with Columbus Academy, and a third with Longley. They were to take place in the order named and at intervals of one week.
The practice soon came to an end, and then the five-innings game with the scrubs started. This proved to be quite a contest, and Fred Rover distinguished himself by knocking a three-bagger, while Jack struck out six batsmen, much to his satisfaction. When the contest came to a close the regular nine had won by a score of 11 to 3.
"Well, that shows the old nine is still in the running," remarked Dan Soppinger, when the boys were rushing to the gymnasium to get under the showers.
"Right you are, Dan," answered Jack. "Just the same, that scrub team isn't Hixley High, or Columbus or Longley, either, please don't forget that."
"Oh, I know that just as well as you do, Jack. We've got to play much better than we did to-day if we expect any victories in the regular games."
"Don't forget that we'll be up against Dink Wilsey again," said Gif.
"I don't believe that any of us are likely to forget it," grinned Dan. All remembered Dink Wilsey very well. He was the pitcher for Hixley High and a fellow who was destined to become talked about in baseball circles. He had a puzzling delivery, and sometimes struck out even the best of the batsmen with ease.
From that day forth Jack and the other members of the ball team put in every spare moment at practice. Gradually the young pitcher obtained better control of the sphere, and then he did what he could to increase his speed and make his curves more puzzling.
The contest with Hixley High was to take place on the latter's grounds, and almost all the pupils at Colby Hall made the journey to see the game. Many girls were also present from Clearwater Hall and from the town.
"Oh, Jack, I hope you win!" said Ruth Stevenson, as he strode forward to greet her and the others who had arrived from the girls' school.
"We're going to do our best, Ruth," answered the young pitcher. And then, as he noticed something of a cloud on her face, he added jokingly: "You don't have to look so glum about it."
"I'm not glum over the game, Jack. I was thinking of something else," she answered soberly.
"Why, what's the matter, Ruth – has anything gone wrong?"
"Yes, Jack. But – but maybe I'd better not tell you anything about it," she faltered.
"Has anybody been annoying you?"
"I can't tell you now – I'll tell you after the game if I get a chance," whispered Ruth, as several of the other boys and girls came closer.
At that moment came a blare of tin horns and the noise of many rattles, and then the Hixley High boys let out a wild yelling:
"Hixley High! Hixley High! Hixley High forever!" and this was repeated over and over again.
"Wake up, fellows!" came suddenly in a bellow from Ned Lowe. "Everybody wake up for Colby Hall!" And then there boomed out this refrain:
"Who are we?
Can't you see?
Colby Hall!
Dum!