CHAPTER III
MRS. MATSON IS WORRIED
"What do you mean by that?" demanded the lad whom Sam had struck.
"That's what I mean by it. I mean you can't insult me!"
"I can't, eh? Well, I can whip you all right," and with those words Samwas nearly knocked off his feet by a return blow.
"Here, cut that out!" yelled Darrell.
"Aw, what's eating you?" demanded another of the Resolute crowd. "If youfellows are looking for a fight you can have it; eh boys?"
"Sure thing!" came in a chorus, as the players crowded up, with bats intheir hands.
"This may be serious," murmured Darrell to Tom. "See if you can't stopSam from fighting."
But it was too late, as Sam and his opponent were at each other hammerand tongs.
"Do you want to fight?" sneered the lad who had accosted the manager.
"No, I don't."
"Afraid?"
"No, of course not."
"Then come on," and the lad, half in fun perhaps, gave Darrell a shove.
Now Darrell, though disliking fistic encounters, was no coward and hepromptly retaliated with a blow that knocked his enemy down.
"Wow! It's a fight all right!" yelled another lad, and then Darrell andhis antagonist were at it.
The crowd from the stands and bleachers now began thronging about theenraged players. There had always been more or less bad blood betweenthe two rival nines and now, when the Resolutes had taken a game thatwas almost won away from the Silver Stars, the feeling broke out anew.
On all sides there were impromptu battles going on. Some of the ladswere good-natured about it, and only indulged in wrestling contests, butothers were striking viciously at each other and soon there were somebloody noses and blackened eyes in evidence.
"I'll show you whether I can pitch or not!" yelled Sam, as he aimed ahard blow at the lad with whom he had first had an encounter. He missedhis aim, and went whirling to one side, to be met by a blow as he turnedabout, and almost sent down.
"Do you want anything?" suddenly demanded a lad stopping in front ofJoe, who was standing near Tom. Joe recognized his questioner as theResolute shortstop.
"No, he's a stranger here--he isn't on the nine," said Tom quickly.
"Well, can't he fight?" was the sneering demand.
"Yes, if I want to, but I don't want to," and Joe answered for himself.
"I'll make you want to," was the retort, and Joe was struck in thechest. He was not a lad to stand for that and he retaliated with suchgood effect that his opponent went down in a heap on the grass, and didnot arise for some seconds. When he did stagger up, and saw Joe calmlywaiting for him, the lad moved off.
"You can fight all right," he mumbled. "I've had enough."
Meanwhile Darrell had disposed of his lad, and Tom, who was engaged witha small lad who made a sneering remark, grabbed hold of the chap andshook him until the lad begged for mercy.
Sam and his opponent were still at it hot and heavy when there arose acry:
"Cheese it--here come the cops!"
Riverside boasted of a small police force, and while it was not veryformidable, most of the lads came from homes where a report of theirarrest for fighting would meet with severe punishment. Their ardorsuddenly cooled and, almost as soon as it had started, the impromptubattle was over. The victorious nine gathered up their belongings andmoved off the diamond, jeering at their defeated rivals.
"It was their fault--they started the fights," declared Tom Davis.
"Yes, I guess it was," admitted Darrell. "Well come on, fellows. Theybeat us, and though I think it wasn't exactly square on some of thedecisions, we can take our medicine. We'll do better next time."
"Do you mean me?" demanded Sam half fiercely.
"I mean--all of us," spoke Darrell slowly, "including myself."
"Some excitement; eh?" asked Tom, as he linked his arm in that of JoeMatson and walked along with him.
"Yes, but it was a good game just the same."
"You play, don't you?"
"I used to, at Bentville, where we moved from," answered Joe.
"Have a good team?"
"Pretty good."
"Where'd you play?"
"Well, mostly at pitching. I like that better than anything else."
"Hum!" mused Tom. "It takes a pretty good one to pitch these days. Itisn't like it used to be. Pitching is a gift, like poetry I guess. Youcan't go in and pitch right off the reel."
"I know it," answered Joe quietly. "But it's my one ambition. I want togo to a good boarding school and get on the team as pitcher."
"Well, I hope you do," and Tom laughed frankly. "I wouldn't mind thatmyself, though I don't know as I care so much for pitching."
"It's the best part of the game!" cried Joe, and his eyes shone and heseemed to lose some of his usual quiet manner. "I'd like it aboveeverything else!"
"Got any curves?" asked the practical Tom.
"Well, I don't know as I have--yet. I'm practicing though."
"Got any speed?"
"They used to say I had, back there in Bentville."
"Hum! Well, I don't believe there's much chance for you here. Sam hasthe Silver Stars cinched. But he was rotten the last half of to-day'sgame. That's what made us lose it. Yes, it takes some pumpkins to pitchnow-a-days."
The boys walked on down the street after Tom had discarded his suit.Before them and behind them were other players and spectators, talkingof nothing but the game and the fight that had followed. The Resolutes,cheering and singing triumphantly, had departed in their big stages, andin the hearts of the Silver Stars was gloom and despair.
"Well, come over and see me sometime," invited Tom, as he parted fromJoe.
"I will. You come over and see me."
The boys went their respective ways--Joe walking rather slowly andthinking of what had just taken place.
"How I would like to pitch--and go to boarding school!" he mused as hewalked toward his house. As he entered the side door he saw his mothersitting at the dining room table. Something about her attracted hisattention--aroused his fears. The cloth had been spread, and though itwas supper time, for the game had lasted until late, there were nodishes on the table.
"Why mother!" exclaimed Joe, struck by a queer look on her face. "Whatis the matter? Has anything happened?"
"Oh Joe!" she exclaimed starting up, as though she had not heard himcome in. "Oh, no, nothing is the matter," she went on, and she tried tosmile, but it was only an attempt. "I forgot it was so late. Your fatherwas home, but he went out again."
"Where?"
"I don't know. He said he had some business to attend to. But I musthurry with the supper. Where were you?"
"At the ball game. There was a fight. Our side lost. Oh, how I wish Ihad been pitching! If ever I go to that boarding school I'm going to tryfor the nine, first thing!"
"Oh yes, you're always talking about a boarding school, Joe. Well, I--Ihope you can go."
"Mother, I'm sure something has happened!" exclaimed Joe, putting hisarms around her and patting her on the shoulder, for she was a littlewoman.
"No, really," she assured him. "I'm just a little worried, that's all.Now you can help me set the table if you will. Clara has gone to takeher music lesson and isn't back yet."
"Of course I will!" exclaimed Joe. "But what are you worried about,mother? I wish you'd tell me."
"I can't now, Joe. Perhaps I will some time. It isn't anythingserious--yet," and with that Mrs. Matson hurried out of the room.
She smiled as she left her son, but when she reached the kitchen thesame serious look came over her face again.
"I hope what he fears doesn't come to pass," she remarked to herself."Poor Joe! it would be too bad if he couldn't go to a boarding schoolwhen his heart is so set on it. And to become a pitcher! I wish he hadsome higher ambition in life, though I suppose all boys are alike at hisage," and she sighed.
"Hum," mused Joe as he went about setting the table, for the Mats
onskept no girl and Joe and his sister often helped their mother with thehousework when their school duties permitted. "Something is worryingmother," the lad went on. "I hope it isn't anything about father'sbusiness in the harvester works. He took a risk when he gave up hisposition in Bentville and took a new one here. But that was an excitinggame all right," and Joe smiled at the recollection as he went onputting the plates around at their places.
Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars; or, The Rivals of Riverside Page 3
