he realized it, for he added: "My eyes have been awfully weak lately."
Way, meeting the ball gently with his bat and causing a wild commotion amongst his fielders, nodded soberly. "And for many other reasons," he called across.
"Eh?" asked Fudge puzzled. But there was no time for more just then as Bert Cable, observing his inattention, meanly shot a long low fly into left field, and Fudge, starting late, had to run half-way to the fence in order to attempt the catch. Of course he missed it and then, when he had chased it down, made matters worse by throwing at least twelve feet to the left of Cable on the return. The ex-captain glared contemptuously and shouted some scathing remark that Fudge didn't hear. After that, he got along fairly well, sustaining a bruised finger, however, as a memento of the day's activities. When practice was over he trudged back to the dressing-room and got into his street clothes. Fortunately, most of the new fellows had dressed at home and so it was possible to find room in which to squirm out of things without collisions. While Fudge was lacing his shoes he observed that Way and his particular crony, Will Scott, who played third base, were unusually hilarious in a far corner of the room.
46
