by Morgan Scott
CHAPTER V
THE DIPLOMACY OF OSGOOD.
Shultz sullenly watched his teammates giving the losers a complimentarycheer; he could not take his cue from Osgood and join with the slightestpretense of rejoicing in this cheering. And when the happy playersgathered up their trappings and started for the adjacent academy, wherein the basement gymnasium the Wyndhamites had given them a room in whichto change their clothes, Shultz trailed along behind, listening withpersistent bitterness to the chattering fellows who were still rejoicingover the result.
"Oh, Craney!" cried Cooper, as he playfully banged Sile with an openhand. "That measly little tap of yours in the last round was certainly asoporific wallop."
"Here, yeou better let Sleuth slaughter the language that fashion,"grinned Crane. "Soporific! What's it mean, anyhaow?"
"Why, soothing, sleep-producing; it's what a prize-fighter hands hisantagonist when he gives him a two-ton jolt on the point of the jaw. Itput Wyndham down and out, all right."
"Oh, that didn't end the game by a long shot. If old Texas hadn'tpitched some in the last half----"
"Great centipedes!" interrupted Grant. "If you fellows hadn't given meBig League support they'd corralled the game after all. The way youraked down Cohen's drive was sure some playing. And that little turn byPiper plugged their promising start right handsomely."
"I was frightened when Hooker let Foxhall's grounder get through him,"declared Ned Osgood; "but Sleuth was right on the job. It was a splendidvictory."
Jack Nelson shot the speaker a quizzical glance, but said nothing.
In the gymnasium they continued to discuss the game while peeling offtheir soiled uniforms and getting into the heavy clothes which would beso necessary to their comfort on the long homeward drive; and, unable tokeep still, Shultz cut in with an occasional sarcastic remark. For atime no one seemed to notice him, but suddenly Grant, unable to holdhimself longer in restraint, turned on the disgruntled fellow.
"Quit your beefing," he exclaimed. "Why don't you try to follow Osgood'strail and make a pretense of being decent, whether you feel that way ornot?"
The blood which suffused Shultz's face turned it almost purple, and heglared at the Texan as if he longed to seize the fellow by the throatand smash his head against the wall.
"I've got a right to open my mouth," he snarled, "and I propose to saywhat I please, regardless of any common, cow-punching----"
They would have been at it in a twinkling had not Nelson promptly leapedbetween them.
"Stop, Grant! Hold up!" he cried, seizing the pitcher, whose face wasbeginning to take on that awesome and terrible look which indicated thathis fiery temper was mastering him. "Don't start a scrap. It will bebad--bad business."
"I certainly won't allow anybody to shoot off his mouth at me thatfashion," said Rodney, his voice vibrant with the passion he couldscarcely restrain. "He's been sneering and hollering like the soreheadhe is, and it's sure getting too much for me."
"It's my affair, if it's anybody's," asserted the captain. "I'm theone's he's sore on."
"And only for a lucky piece of work by Piper, you'd lost the game byputting Hooker in Osgood's place," said Shultz. "Just because hedisagreed with you about sacrificing when he got the kind of a ball heknew he ought to hit out, you show your authority by benching him.Sacrificing in such a game, with one man down and a good hitter at bat,would be laughed at by----"
"That will do for you," Nelson cut him short. "No man on the team cantalk to me this way, much less a new player like you. If you and Osgoodcame to Oakdale with the idea that you're going to run the nine or ruinit, you may as well get that out of your noddles right away."
By this time Osgood had his friend by the arm.
"Cool down, Charley," he advised in his most pacifying manner. "You'regiving a wrong impression by letting yourself get excited. I'm sure wewere both just as eager to help win that game as any one. In fact, Iwill assert that it was my eagerness which led me to try for a hit whenLeach put the ball over just where I like 'em best. It's true it seemedto me we'd be weakening ourselves by a sacrifice with one man down, butstill, I meant to follow instructions when I went to the plate. It wasonly when I saw that ball coming across the pan so nicely that I forgoteverything and tried to land on it for a safe drive. Even though in thatmoment I was led to forget instructions, I must insist that my heart wasright. I've played the game ever since I was old enough to toss aten-cent ball, and I learned something of its fine points at HaddenHall. I'm not blaming Captain Nelson if his ideas and mine are not fullyin accord, for baseball down here in this country can scarcely be asadvanced as it is----"
At this point Nelson suddenly threw back his head and laughed, althoughperhaps it was not a laugh of simple amusement.
"That has been your pose ever since you came to Oakdale," he said. "Yourpity for us poor, ignorant countrymen is wholly appreciated, Osgood. Itmay be that we're very shortsighted in failing to perceive the splendidopportunity we have for learning something about real baseball from youand Shultz, but it seems that you might find a more delicate and lessegotistical method of opening our sleepy eyes."
For a single breathless moment it seemed that Osgood was on the verge ofpermitting this sarcasm to lead him into a touch of temper, at least;but he was crafty and far too clever not to realize that such a thingwould be likely to put him at a disadvantage in the eyes of some membersof the team whom he had reasons to think were inclined to sympathizewith him.
"I didn't come to Oakdale to teach baseball or anything else," heasserted. "I think I've stated before this that Oakdale Academy was aschool of my mother's choice, not mine, and mothers who are fearful ofthe temptations which their sons may encounter in large and reallyefficient schools sometimes have peculiar ideas."
"Fathers, too," put in Shultz, with a curl of his red lips. "My old manwas determined that I should get my preparatory education far from theevil influences of the really wide-awake world, and so he buried me in aforsaken graveyard."
"Too bad abaout yeou poor fellers," Sile Crane could not refrain fromobserving.
"I enjoy baseball," Osgood hastily went on. "I love the game. I was gladwhen it seemed assured that I'd have a chance to play on the academynine. However, I scarcely fancied it would be considered a fault or adetriment that I happened to know something about the game as it'splayed to-day not only in big schools and colleges, but in big leagues.I've never missed an opportunity of seeing a Big League game and tryingto wise up on the methods of the players. I'd like to see Oakdale winout this season, and my interest in our success is so great that if Ithought for a moment I would produce discord and disaffection on theteam I'd voluntarily withdraw."
This assertion was made with an air of earnestness and sincerity, butthe fellow had spoken craftily, with the design of spiking Nelson'sguns, being certain that the captain suspected him of the very purposewhich he so ardently disclaimed. Shultz, who knew his friend's secretmotives better than any one else, really found it difficult to suppressa grin, while inwardly he was telling himself that Osgood certainly wasa "slick duck." Why, Nelson was not only flanked, but his line ofdefense was cut off completely!
In a vague way the captain seemed to feel something of this, but stillhis quick perception told him that to a large extent Osgood had createda favorable impression, which would only be increased were his motivesdoubted.
"Well, that's all right," said Jack, a bit bluffly. "That's all we canask of any chap. You've both shown that you can play baseball, and ifyou show a willingness to respect the wishes of your captain that shouldbe sufficient. We want players loyal to the team and to the school."
Right here Shultz made another break. "The school!" he laughed. "We'llbe loyal to the team all right if we're given a show, but you must knowthat the school is almost a joke. It's taught by a dead one, with a lotof decayed back numbers as directors. Right here at Wyndham they havegot a professor who's alive and who takes interest in some thingsbesides books. Old Prof. Richardson has outlived his us
efulness as ateacher. He's let the times pass on and leave him about thirty yearsbehind. Who ever saw him at a baseball game, or any similar sport? TheWyndham prof was out here to-day watching the go, and he seemed asinterested as any one. When Professor Richardson gets through with theday's session he toddles home to dressing-gown, slippers and tea. How aschool with such a head can stand as well in athletics as Oakdale doescertainly gets me."
"It's true," admitted Nelson, "that Professor Richardson has never takenany real genuine interest in outdoor sports, but he's a good principaland does his work well in the class room. His health isn't always thebest. Everyone who knows him well respects him, at least, and I'm sorryto hear you say what you have, Shultz."
"I've simply stated a fact. Some day Oakdale will wake up to it, too,and the old man will lose his job. Some day before long you'll see ayounger, more up-to-date principal filling his shoes. It will be amighty good thing if that time comes soon."
"Let's not discuss that," interposed Osgood. "Whether ProfessorRichardson is efficient or not has nothing to do with the matter thatthreatened to produce a disturbance and some hard feelings on the team.That business is all settled now, and I think we understand that we're anine united and anxious to do our best to win the championship. Come,fellows, let's forget it all. I'm going to."
This magnanimity had its effect, and, as they completed dressing for thejaunt home, the boys were again chattering and jesting, as if nothreatening cloud had risen.