United States or Spain ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Maybe," he admitted, as he reached for the worm can. Hooks baited, the boys dropped their lines in the water and sat down to dangle their legs to and fro over the pier's edge as they waited for the first hint as to the morning's luck. Possibly a quarter of an hour elapsed before Silvey's light steel rod gave a twitch, to be followed by another and still another.
"Aren't you going to give me that nickel?" threateningly. "That ain't worth more'n a penny. How do I know whether it'll work?" "Perry Alford's worked, and so did mine, and Bill Silvey's, Olaf's, Carl's, and the country kid's." "The other kids aren't paying you no nickel." "They are, too. Ask Mickey and his brother, and the Shepherd kids.
"Is that the glove which laid in the coat closet all last November? the one that I kept telling you to put away before it became lost?" He nodded. "Please tell me, Mother. The boys are all down at Silvey's, and I've got to get it quick!" Mrs. Fletcher yielded with a smile. "Seems to me I saw it on your closet shelf, the other day."
Never had Silvey's eyes held such astounded respect as they had at that moment. Shultz lived in a brown brick, ramshackle tenement diagonally opposite the apartments in which the gang had found shelter that day of the cucumber fight.
"Everybody get a pail and meet at Silvey's," he concluded, as they started for the railroad tracks. "I'll sit here and watch the tools," said Sid, brazenly. "Aren't you going to work at all?" broke out Silvey impatiently. "Don't have to," was the unperturbed reply. "I'm the captain."
"An 'in, and an 'out, and a 'slow ball." The expert paused in the summary of his attainments. "Last year, I was just getting so's I could pitch a drop. But it didn't work very well." Dinner, maternal lectures, all were forgotten as John poured out the tale of the "Tigers'" woes to his new friend. Arm in arm, they made their way up to Silvey's house.
A thorough search resurrected a worn copper that had lain in Silvey's back pocket until he had forgotten it else the coin had gone the way of many another that had purchased peppermints at the school store. John surrendered a penny that had been given him the night before for a perfect spelling paper. They viewed the scanty hoard on the sun-bleached plank reflectively. "Ask him."
Sid heard Silvey's tale of the pitcher's prowess with ill-disguised resentment. "He can play in the outfield," he said shortly. "I'm going to do it myself." "You!" shrieked John. "Yes, me!" "You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a baseball. Pitch! Only reason we let you play at all last year was because " He checked himself suddenly. Sid only smiled.
"Remember, Sid, you haven't thrown a ball since last summer. I don't want any 'penny lectures' 'cause you smashed some glass." Sid drew his arm back for the second time. John leaned forward, caught the slowly moving ball with the full force of the bat, and tore for first base. "Over the fence is out, over the fence is out," came the chorus. "Silvey's turn next."
Silvey halted to pant a defiant "Ya-a-a, ya-a-a. Can't catch us. Can't catch us." John pulled his chum's arm impatiently and pointed to the vacant house just three lots south of Silvey's home. "Look," he whispered, suddenly cautious. "Some one's forgotten to close the front door tight. We can lock it from the inside and go up to the attic.
Word Of The Day