CHAPTER XXI

EAGER HEARTS

"The battery for Yale will be Weston and Kendall, and for Cornell----"

But the last announcement was given no heed by the supporters of the blue--at least by the players themselves, the subst.i.tutes, and Joe Matson in particular. A murmur went around.

"Weston! Weston's going to pitch!"

"After the work Baseball Joe's done too!"

"Why, Weston isn't in form."

"Oh, he's practiced hard lately."

"Yes, and he was doing some hot warming-up work a little while ago. I guess they'll pitch him all right."

"He must have put up a kick, and Hasbrook gave in to him."

"It looks so, and yet Horsehide generally doesn't play a man unless he can make good. That's Yale's way."

These were only a few of the comments that were being heard on all sides. The Yale team looked somewhat amazed, and then, lest their enemies find out that they feared they had a weak spot, they braced up, smiled and acted as if it was a matter of course. And, as far as Cornell was concerned, they knew that there was rivalry between Weston and Joe, but as a pitcher is an uncertain quant.i.ty at best, they were not surprised that the 'varsity twirler whom they had faced the season before should again occupy the mound. It might be a part of the game to save Matson until later.

"Tough luck, Joe," said Spike, as he pa.s.sed his friend.

"Yes--Oh, I don't know! I hadn't any right to expect to pitch!"

Joe tried to be brave about it, but there was a sore feeling in his heart. He had hoped to go into the game.

"Sure you had a right to expect it!" declared Spike. "You're the logical pitcher. There's been some funny work going on, I'm sure. Weston has pulled off something."

"Be careful, Spike."

"Oh, I'm sure of it. Why, look at Horsehide's face!"

Joe glanced at the head coach. Indeed the countenance of Mr. Hasbrook presented a study. He seemed puzzled as he turned away from a somewhat spirited conversation with Mr. Benson. For an instant his eyes met those of Joe, and the young pitcher thought he read in them pity, and yet a trace of doubt.

"I wonder if he has lost confidence in me?" thought Joe. "I wonder if he thinks I can't pitch in a big game?"

Yet he knew in his own heart that he had not gone back--he was sure he could pitch better than he ever had before. The days at Yale, playing with young men who were well-nigh professionals, had given him confidence he had not possessed before, and he realized that he was developing good control of the ball, as well as speed and curves.

"I wonder why he didn't pitch me?" mused Joe.

"Play ball!" called the umpire, and the hearts of all were eager for the battle of stick and horsehide to begin. Cornell went to the bat first, and Weston faced his man. There was a smile of confidence on the pitcher's face, as he wound up, and delivered a few practice b.a.l.l.s to Kendall. Then he nodded as if satisfied, and the batter stepped up to the plate.

"Strike!" called the umpire, at the first delivery, and there was a murmur of amazement. The batter himself looked a bit confused, but made no comment. The ball had gone cleanly over the plate, though it looked as if it was going to shoot wide, and the player had thought to let it pa.s.s. Weston smiled more confidently.

He was. .h.i.t for a foul, but after getting three and two he struck the batter out, and there was a round of applause.

"I couldn't have done it any better myself," said Joe, with honest praise for his rival.

"Wait," advised Spike. "Weston's got to last over eight more innings to make good, and he'll never do it."

But when he struck out the next man, and the third had retired on a little pop fly, Yale began to rise in her might and sing the beginning of a song of victory.

"Oh, we've got the goods!" her sons yelled.

"How's that for pitching?" demanded someone.

Joe joined in the cheer that was called for Weston, but his heart was still sore, for he felt that those cheers might have been for him. But he was game, and smiled bravely.

Yale managed to get one run during the last half of the first inning, and once more the sons of Eli arose and sent forth a storm of cheers, songs and college cries.

"Go back home, Cornell!" they screamed.

But the Cornell host smiled grimly. They were fighters from start to finish.

Joe noticed that Weston did not seem quite so confident when he came to the mound the second time. There was an exchange of signals between him and the catcher, and Weston seemed to be refusing to do what was wanted.

After getting three and two on his man, the batter sent out a high one that the left fielder was unable to connect with, and the runner reached second.

"Never mind, play for the next one," advised Kendall, and though the runner stole third, Weston pitched the second man out. Then, whether it was nervousness or natural inability cropping out at the wrong time, was not known, but the pitcher "went up in the air."

With only one out, and a man on third, he began to be hit for disastrous results. He made wild throws, and the whole team became so demoralized that costly errors were made. The result was that Cornell had four runs when the streak was stopped.

"We've got to do better than this," declared the head coach, as the Yale men came in to bat. "Rap out a few heavy ones. Show 'em what Yale can do in a pinch."

They tried, but Cornell was fighting mad now, with the scent of victory to urge her players on. The best Yale could do was two, leaving their opponents one ahead at the beginning of the third.

And then Weston went to pieces more than ever, though in the interval his arm had been rubbed and treated by the trainer. He had complained that it was stiff.

I shall not give all the details of that game. Yale wanted to forget it after it was over. But when, at the ending of the fifth inning, the score stood eight to four in favor of Cornell there was a quick consultation among the coaches. What was said could not be heard, but Mr. Hasbrook seemed to be insisting on something to which the other two would not agree. Finally Horsehide threw up his hands in a gesture of despair.

"Avondale, take the mound!" he exclaimed.

"Avondale!" gasped the players. The scrub pitcher to go in and Joe, who was his master, kept on the bench? It was incredible.

"Well, what do you know about that?" demanded Spike. "I've a good notion to----"

"Be quiet!" begged Joe. "They know what they're doing."

But it seems they did not, for Avondale was worse by far than Weston had been. He was. .h.i.t unmercifully, and three more runs came in. But he had to stick it out, and when the miserable inning for Yale ended he went dejectedly to the bench.

Weston, who had been having his arm rubbed again, and who had been practicing with a spare catcher, looked hopeful. But this time, following another conference of coaches, Mr. Hasbrook evidently had his way. Fairly running over to where Joe sat the head coach exclaimed:

"Quick--get out there and warm up. You'll pitch the rest of the game.

It's a forlorn hope, but we'll take it!"