It will be catching for you, you
see, Merry, and not for him. I ought to have looked at it that way
before, but I could not."
"I have got Jack Ready for catcher!"
Bart gasped, while his dark face seemed to get redder and hotter.
"Why, he can't catch!"
"Much better than you think. He is a pretty fair catcher."
"And if he falls down?"
"I'll put some one else in. I have two or three in mind, and have spoken
to two of them."
Hodge seemed stunned.
"I'm willing to catch!" he said.
"You may, Bart, if I see that Ready can't do the work. If the game seems
about to be lost I'll go into the pitcher's box and you behind the bat,
and we'll pull the nine out of the hole! Eh?"
Hodge's eyes brightened strangely.
"We can do it, Merry! I'll be as steady as a clock. Only I'm sorry
things went the way they did and that I showed how mean I can be. I only
proved what my enemies say of me. It's too late now, but I'm ready to do
what I can to make it right."
Merriwell came over and put a hand on Bart's shoulder.
"I understand you, Bart, and few do. I know that your friendship for me
is true blue, and that your heart is where it should be, even if your
head runs away with you. Now we'll get to bed. To-morrow we play ball,
and I want to be in condition.
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