He swung his bat idly, grinning mockingly at Prescott.
"I'll let you off without trying, if you'll give me second base," offered Hi tantalizingly.
"If the batsman talks again he will be ordered off the grounds," declared Umpire Tozier sternly.
But Dick felt the sting of his opponent's taunt and longed to be even.

Greg signaled for a drop ball---a difficult one for a schoolboy to throw.

It was the first time in the game that Greg had asked for this.
Dick "made up" the ball with extra care, then let it go.

It looked like a chest-high ball as it came, and was so slow that Hi threw back his bat to slam it.
"A home run on this!" thought Hi exultantly.
From the sides of the field came a mocking laugh, for the ball had dropped, leaving Hi pounding wildly at the air.
"Strike one!" called Ben Tozier, slipping a pebble to his other hand.
Dick smiled quietly as the ball came back to him.

Greg signaled for an outshoot.