“Unusual?” he cried. “I should say so. Whoever heard of such a thing? Whoever heard of a freshman coaching men on the varsity nine?”
“But there’s no reason why a freshman should not do such a thing if he’s capable, is there? I don’t know of any reason.”
“Nor I,” admitted Emery, turning to Leyden. “What do you think of this peculiar proposition, Bill?”
Leyden was a Yale grad. Had he been a professional coach, it is likely he would have received Billings’ proposal with scornful derision; but, really having the good of the team at heart, he now admitted that there was, to his knowledge, no reason why a freshman should not coach any member of any varsity team.
“I think he’ll do anything in his power to help his college. He has the right spirit. He’s a true Yale man.”
“He must be pretty busy on his own team,” said Leyden.
“He is,” nodded Billings. “Still, I think he would find a little time to do this work I’ve suggested.”
“If he undertook to coach all our pitchers, it would take his entire time,” said Leyden. “We must pick out a man and turn him over to Merriwell.”
“A good suggestion,” nodded Emery. “Let’s see what the youngster can do with one man.”
“Whom will you choose?” questioned Billings.
“Welch is our best pitcher. If he could get some of Merriwell’s kinks, it would make us strong in the box. I suggest Welch.”
A moment later Pumper was called by Emery. Wondering what they wanted, he sauntered up and joined them.
The captain of the nine quickly explained Billings’ proposal. Before Emery had finished speaking the lips of Welch had begun to curl disdainfully.
“Preposterous!” he exclaimed, giving Walter a scornful look. “Why, there isn’t a man on the team who’ll be coached by that freshman. The fellow has a terrible swelled head, anyhow. If he got a chance to coach a member of the varsity nine, he’d be simply intolerable.”
Billings surveyed Pumper from head to heels.
“Welch,” he said, “I’ve never yet seen a fellow as capable as Merriwell who was so absolutely modest and unassuming. When you say he has a swelled head you do so without reason.”
“Perhaps I do,” growled Welch. “But what made him come out here and show off to-day?”
“I induced him to come, and as for showing off he was literally baited into doing what he did. I believe that you announced that you were going to show what you would do to some pitcher who resembles Merriwell. Well, you demonstrated precisely what you will do. If you ever get up against a pitcher like Merriwell, you’ll strike out. If that boy wasn’t a freshman and barred from the varsity on that account, Yale would have a cinch at the college baseball championship this year.”