Baseball Joe on the School Nine; or, Pitching for the Blue Banner

ellows; here goe

high without dislocating you

earth; I can so,

boy, with a very fair complexion which had gained him the nickname of "Peaches and Cream," though it was usually shortened to "Pea

, Teeter," begged Ge

of a habit he had of "teetering" on his tiptoes when reciting in class. "I've got Peaches all right," and t

r quiet youth who stood beside a companion. "Let's see you throw.

om?" asked Joe M

s well.

oe Matson's particular chum, was designated "Sister" because, in an incautious moment, whe

, advanced further toward their school companions. Peaches and Teeter were still engaged in their friendly struggl

chdown!" yelle

ver the line, Pea

ds, which was increased by the addition of several other pupil

, when Teeter held his face in the

one?" asked Teeter, still maintain

-I gue

with me; you've

up, will you? There's a l

'm around. You wait until I'm off the campus if you've got to indulge in high jinks. Come on now, fellows, since Peaches has prom

e Matson with a smile.

started a rough-house with Peaches as s

d Teeter. "See if you can hit that barrel head down there," and he point

nd. "A lot of us have missed it, including Peaches, wh

lad with the clear complexion.

er. "Go ahead, Joe and Tom. And you other fellows can try if yo

r else the snowballs, being of irregular shapes and rather light, did not carry well. Whatever the cause, the

do!" exclaimed Nat Pierson, as Joe'

ed Tom with a half smile. "Jo

voice to George Bland. "I remember what straight aim he

added. "Wow! One ball he threw soaked me in the ear. I can f

here were some exclamations of admiration. The second one was a clean miss, but no

aches. "That's t

Joe plug it," retort

ry hard and smooth snowballs, which he spent some time in making in anticipation of his turn to throw. "I haven't

distance to the barrel. Then he swung hi

some nine, I'll wager," said T

g a star on some small country team,"

ous speed and, an instant later, had struck th

re!" yelled Peaches with en

mplimented Teeter, doing

ntre," admitted Joe. "

all hit the barrel head, close to the f

han that, Joe," spok

ry," was all th

ball pitchers. Again the snowball shot forward, whizzing through the air. Agai

on th

n middl

od pl

veral lads ran to get a closer view of the barrel, they came bac

der!" exclaimed Pe

uilt lad, with rather a coarse and brutal face, sauntered up

f three, and the best any of us could do was once. Besides

the newcomer, with

it, Shell," invi

Luke Fodick, who was a sort of toady to Hiram

g some hard round snowballs away from a smaller lad

of his missiles hit the barrel head. But two of them clipped the outer

you beat a mile!"

ir he generally assumed. "If I'd been practicing all day as

but he did not think it wise to say so, for Hiram had mean ways about him, an

eorge Bland, after Hiram had thrown a few more b

urton, one of the youngest la

y. "There's lots more snow. Make yourse

s drawn upon himself made him blush. He was a timid

ndly, "we'll have another cont

sted Hiram. His great strength gave him a dec

tance throwing was started. Hiram did throw hard and far, but he met his match in Joe Matson, and the

e were covert smiles at this palpable excuse, no one said anything. Then came other contests, throwing at

ff, Shell is!" m

n," adde

a fringe of big maples which bordered a walk that ran around the school

hero, "though I don't

" put in Peaches. "W

d at the word from Tom, Joe and Peaches let go toget

higher they went, until they both topped the trees, and began to go down on the othe

, there suddenly arose from the other side o

hrow snowballs at me? I shall report you a

red Peaches, his fair compl

we did," ad

running a figure whose tall hat was battered over his head by the

n the school but Professor Rodd. Oh my! Oh wow! You're in for it now!

d certainly the "fussiest" instructor at Exce