Half-Past Seven Stories

f the game. And, besides, it wasn't fair. Marmaduke knew he cou

he way it

was nobody but Hepzebiah to play with, and she wouldn't leave her dolls, and he had long ago gotten past playing with them

're

oking over the field he saw boys--at least six of them--pl

old him that they didn't "w

eans agreed

on't want

urves, too," Marmaduke proteste

lled back, "you'd muff it eve

his last name just because he had heard grown-up men

Means agreed

muff it e

's appendix all pickled in alcohol in a big bottle and wouldn't give it back, either. But they were all bigger than Marmaduke, so what could he do but sit on the

t, so he got down from the

your ole game--not f

k, if he only had the chance--over the dead chestnut tree, over the Gold Rooster on the top of the barn, and even above the Long White Finger of the Church Pointing at the Sky. May

wn. He turned it over and over in his fingers, admiring it. It was a fine one, with leather as white as bucksk

up, up, until it reached the eaves of the barn and startled the swallows, who

it fell out even quicker than it had fallen in. Jiminy! but that ball was hard! Marmaduke thought the man who made it sho

but he didn't throw

ittle clouds of hay-dust from the loft danced in the

sts--sists--sists," the

cheekbone and raised a lump a

that way--and out he came and tried it all over again. For regular boys never give up. Of course, at first he threw the ball a little lower than before, but that was only wise. And this time it did fall into his hands and he hel

the Miller lot. Then--all of a sudden--he heard an altogether di

" that

n delight, "now that F

was Dicky Means that had done it. And, like Fatty, he was always

g parlor window, too, and she expected the Methodist ladies of the Laborforlovesociety t

osatan, you'll

was saying, very politely, with his eye on the b

oo, "or I'll tell your mother, and your father'll paddle you in

ied about the ball than abou

Mis' Miller,

d heard down in the city, and for the last week

, for she only shook her head angri

any cats--"an' don't come back for the ball

ble temper!" or "Whew, but can't she get mad?" and because she was flourishing that broo

tended not to see them at all, but just kept passing his Rocket ball from o

all the boys suddenly gre

r ball, Marm

rner of his eye. They had been pretty mean to him, but he supposed he ought to be decent even if they

ough to want that ball very much, "if you'll play 's

ky, "you're no

juggling that fine Rocket ball, "you'l

'n, have

like "heaping coals of fire" on people's heads, in minister's langua

greed, "come 'n,

e, and that one over there by the chestnut tree 'f

t just above Fatty's hand; then Fatty put his left hand above Dicky's right; and Dicky his left hand next; and so on until their fingers almost reached the handle of the bat. There was just a littl

s picked up a flat stone and scraped it over t

sly. He hoped that he would be chosen first, second anyway. He o

u

Reddy," s

," sai

chose Di

tle Marmaduke was left to the last, as if

e I've got to take him. But

ed to M

tors--a whole pile of them--in the grand stand. Wouldn't you

ings, not watching. Lose that game, would he? No, he'd show them, he'd win it instead. He'd hit that ball clean over the fence--

e he would give them that ball. Then the two c

and Marmaduke out in the field. You kin go to sleep, too, for all I care-

all took their places, Dicky's team

, or hit the ball towards Dicky, the pitcher, or Skinny at 'first.' Once a ball did come his way "Hold it!" sho

id Dicky in disgust, and al

erfin

knows, it is a great disgrace

r the score stood six to five

uld do was to watch the other boys catch the "pop-flies," stop the grounders, or run back and forth

s team. At last they were put out, and it was Marmaduke's turn to bat. If

alled Sammy, wh

g at the next

ike

, sad to

ke th

--no doubt

"what'd I tell you--y

k his place out in the field again, with t

l, and the Toyman stopped his horses to watch the game for a minute. Marmaduke gritted h

heard a loud crack. Looking up, he saw the ball sailing through the air. It w

at ball--if it ever got there. And, sure enough, it fell in his outstretched

heard that word, he might have dropped the ball after all, but he was so determined to make Fatty tak

ds in the shape of

view la

his turn at bat, Dicky p

felt as pleased and proud as before he had been

nd Dicky made two, and now the score stood thirty-six to thirty-five. Fatty's

nce to win the game--th

He would curl up his fingers in a strange way to make what he called a curve. Then he would hold the ball up to his chin and look wisel

rd to hit it, but

alled the

And Fatty twisted himself up almost in knots, to make an extra fine curve, I su

th, and gripped his hands tight around the bat, and hit at that Rocket ball harder th

ckly than we can ever tell about it in words, but

rds the dead chestnut tree, up, up, by the old cr

duke not far behind him, his face red

atted him on the back, and said "Good b

row's nest. For, when he told them about it all at the supper-table that night, Father

t the ball? Well, Frank, there are some more 'da

e sure there were,

er's mitt that Marmaduke always wanted--

lled on the following Saturday. And many a time the hard Rocket b