ain't no dodgin' game.
Duck your nut if the ball's goin' to hit you, but stop lookin' for it.
Forget it. Another turn now. I'm goin' to umpire. Let's see if you know
the difference between a ball and a strike."

He changed the catcher and, ordering Ken to the pitcher's box, he
stepped over behind him. "Peg," he said, speaking low, "you're not
tryin' for pitcher, I know, but you've got speed and control and I
want you to peg 'em a few. Mind now, easy with your arm. By that
I mean hold in, don't whip it. And you peg 'em as near where I say
as you can; see?"

As the players, one after another, faced the box, the coach kept saying
to Ken: "Drive that fellow away from the plate... give this one a low
ball... now straight over the pan. Say, Peg, you've got a nice ball
there... put a fast one under this fellow's chin."

"Another turn, now, boys!" he yelled. "I tell you--_stand up to the
plate!_" Then he whispered to Ken. "Hit every one of 'em! Peg 'em now,
any place."

"Hit them?" asked Ken, amazed.

"That's what I said."

"But--Mr. Arthurs--"

"See here, Peg. Don't talk back to me. Do as I say. We'll peg a little
nerve into this bunch. Now I'll go back of the plate and make a bluff."

Arthurs went near to the catcher's position. Then he said: "Now,
fellows, Ward's pretty wild and I've told him to speed up a few.
Stand right up and step into 'em."

The first batter was Weir. Ken swung easily and let drive. Straight as
a string the ball sped for the batter. Like a flash he dropped flat in
the dust and the ball just grazed him. It was a narrow escape. Weir
jumped up, his face flaring, his hair on end, and he gazed hard at Ken
before picking up the bat.

"Batter up!" ordered the coach. "Do you think this's a tea-party?"

Weir managed by quick contortions to get through his time at bat
without being hit. Three players following him were not so lucky.

"Didn't I say he was wild?" yelled the coach. "Batter up, now!"

The next was little Raymond. He came forward cautiously, eying Ken
with disapproval. Ken could not resist putting on a little more steam,
and the wind of the first ball whipped off Raymond's green cap. Raymond
looked scared and edged away from the plate, and as the second ball
came up he stepped wide with his left foot.

"Step into the ball," said the coach. "Don't pull away. Step in or
you'll never hit."

The third ball cracked low down on Raymond's leg.

"Oh!--Oh!--Oh!" he howled, beginning to hop