CHAPTER XXVII. THE LINE-UP.

Merry’s friendship for Lenning had been dead against the sentiments and the judgment¹ of Clancy and Ballard. That Merry’s insight into the fellow’s nature had been more keen and more correct than their own, Clancy and Ballard were forced to admit. Nevertheless, they still felt that Lenning was more or less of a crook³, and it surprised them to have Merry mention his name at all in connection with the prospective⁴ nine.
“What’s biting you?” asked Frank, meeting the stare of his chums good-naturedly.
“Can’t you find enough players without taking on Lenning?” queried⁵ Ballard.
“Possibly, Pink, but I want him.”
“The rest won’t stand for it, Chip,” blurted⁶ out Clancy.
“Why won’t they?”
“Well, it’s—it’s—— Oh, hang it, you know why they won’t, Chip, without my going into details.”
“Whom do you mean by ‘they,’ Red?”
“The Ophir fellows—and the Gold Hillers, too. Lenning has proved that he isn’t square. I guess that’s enough to make every one give him the cold shoulder.”
“If you’re going to dig into a fellow’s past, Clan², and judge him by what he was rather than by what he is now, of course I haven’t got anything to say. But I don’t call that being square, either.”
“We were off a bit when we accused Lenning of helping⁷ Shoup run away with the bullion,” put in Ballard, “but we haven’t had much proof, as yet, that Lenning
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 has squared away and intends to do the right thing from now on.”
“We’re going to give him a chance, fellows,” Merry cried, “and we’ll begin by selecting him for this pick-up nine.”
“There’ll be objections——”
“All right,” cut in Merry impatiently, “if the objections come I’ll try and meet them. Put down Jode Lenning’s name first, Red.”
Clancy secured pencil and paper and, not without some reluctance⁸, wrote as his chum directed.
“Where will Lenning play?” queried Ballard, striving to make the most of what he considered an unwise selection.
“Don’t know about that yet,” was the answer. “For the next man put down Mexican Joe for backstop.”
Again Clancy and Ballard displayed astonishment⁹, but this time it was of another sort.
“Who the mischief¹⁰ is Mexican Joe?” Ballard inquired. “Never heard of him before.”
“He works in the blacksmith shop at the mine,” said Merriwell, “and Mr. Bradlaugh was telling me about him only the other day. He used to catch for a Mexican team, and they say he has the prettiest throw to second of any amateur in Arizona. We’ve got to have Mexican Joe.”
“I wonder,” grinned Clancy, “if he’ll do his signalling in the greaser lingo¹¹? If he does, Chip, you’re liable to get balled up.”
“I’ll chance that part of it, old man,” said Merry. “Put down Owen Clancy for the first bag and Billy Ballard for center field.”
“Got that,” reported Clancy, writing rapidly, “and also Chip Merriwell for pitcher¹².”
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“Bradlaugh, junior, for short.”
“Check.”
“Barzy Blunt, second base.”
“He’s a pitcher, isn’t he?” struck in Ballard.
“He is, and a good one, but I’m told he’s equally good as a baseman. If I have to be relieved, Barzy can be shifted to the pitcher’s box. Mose Handy will cover the third sack, and Jerry Spink will take care of left field.”
“You’ve got your nine, Chip,” reported Clancy, totting up, “and Lenning is left for right field. Want any substitutes?”
“Got to have. Benaway, Shaw, and Reckless will sit on the benches and be prepared to fill in. I hear they are good all-around ball players.”
“It’s a good team,” commented Clancy, after studying the list for a few moments, “with possibly one or two exceptions.”
“Strikes me, fellows,” said Merry, “it’s a mighty¹³ fine line-up. I’ll go over to Mr. Bradlaugh’s office and speak for Mexican Joe, Lenning, and Brad. I wish you two fellows would hunt up the others. If you can find them, have them all report at the Ophir athletic¹⁴ field not later than four this afternoon. This will be just preliminary to some hard work to-morrow.”
Merry grabbed his cap from the veranda¹⁵ floor, where he had dropped it, and started briskly to his feet.
“You can count on Pink and me to interview the rest of the fellows, Chip,” returned Clancy.
“Stir around,” Frank answered, on his way down the veranda steps. “There’s not much time between now and four. If some of the fellows can’t get out to the clubhouse by four, then any time up till five will do.”
It was not many minutes until Merry was in the office of the general manager of the Ophir Mining Company.
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 Mr. Bradlaugh greeted him with a smile and a warm handclasp.
“Have you heard,” the lad asked, “that we’re to have a ball game here next Saturday?”
“I have,” was the answer, “and I’m pleased almost to death, Merriwell. Colonel Hawtrey left this office not more than five minutes ago. He told me about it. You’ll have to do some tall hustling¹⁶, my lad, if you dig up a nine that can hold the Gold Hillers. Of course, our nine has got to win. We can’t consider any other result. It would be too bad to have you wind up your stay in Ophir with a defeat on the ball field.”
“I believe we’ve picked a winning team,” said Merry. “Here’s the line-up, Mr. Bradlaugh,” and he handed Clancy’s list to the general manager.
Mr. Bradlaugh leaned back in his office chair and began examining the list. He had no more than dropped his eyes to the first name than he gave a start, and looked up.
“Lenning, Merriwell?”
“Yes,” nodded Frank. “He’s a good player, if all I hear is true, and we need him.”
“Er-hem!” coughed the general manager. “No doubt he’s a good player, and would be a decided¹⁷ acquisition, but is it a judicious¹⁸ selection?”
“I think so,” answered Frank calmly.
“There are liable to be objections,” suggested Mr. Bradlaugh, “and if you persist in keeping Lenning in the nine, in spite of them, there will be discontent among the players. You know too much about sports, Merriwell, for me to remind you what discontent means among a lot of players.”
“The point is here, Mr. Bradlaugh,” Frank observed, with considerable warmth: “Lenning is doing his best to be square, but nobody seems to have much use for
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 him. He needs friends, and he hasn’t any. Here’s a chance for him to win back a few of the friends he has lost. I believe in giving him the chance.”
The general manager wrinkled his brows dubiously²⁰.
“I appreciate what you are trying to do, and the generous motive²¹ back of it,” said he; “but is it wise to arouse discontent and pave the way for a possible defeat? I’m putting the thing up to you frankly²².”
“I’ll tell you just as frankly, Mr. Bradlaugh,” said Merry, with spirit, “that I don’t see why there should be any discontent. Let’s go ahead with Lenning until we see what happens, anyhow.”
The general manager nodded, still dubious¹⁹, but content to leave the matter in Merry’s hands. He studied the rest of the list.
“With the probable exception of Lenning,” he reported, “I think you have made wise selections. I’ll arrange to give Mexican Joe a three days’ vacation. He’s a wonder as a backstop. Brad, of course, will be delighted. If Lenning plays, I’ll have Burke lighten his duties at the cyanide works. Perhaps you’d better go out to the mine and see Joe personally?”
“Thank you, Mr. Bradlaugh; I had thought of that. And when I see Mexican Joe, I’ll also talk with Lenning.”
The general manager nodded. “My car’s in front,” said he, “and I have nothing pressing for the rest of the afternoon. I’ll take you out to the mine.”
As Mr. Bradlaugh pulled down the roll top of his desk, preparatory to leaving, Frank noticed that his face wore a troubled look. Was it, he asked himself, because he had selected Lenning for one of his players? It hardly seemed possible that so small a matter could affect the general manager so seriously.

1 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

2 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

3 crook   

v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处)

参考例句：

• He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.我骂他骗子，他要我向他认错。
• She was cradling a small parcel in the crook of her elbow.她用手臂挎着一个小包裹。

4 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

5 queried   

v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问

参考例句：

• She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

6 blurted   

v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止，她已脱口而出。
• He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相，说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

9 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

10 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

11 lingo   

n.语言不知所云，外国话，隐语

参考例句：

• If you live abroad it helps to know the local lingo.住在国外，学一点当地的语言自有好处。
• Don't use all that technical lingo try and explain in plain English.别尽用那种专门术语，用普通的词语解释吧。

12 pitcher   

n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手

参考例句：

• He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
• Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

13 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

14 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

15 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

16 hustling   

催促（hustle的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Our quartet was out hustling and we knew we stood good to take in a lot of change before the night was over. 我们的四重奏是明显地卖座的， 而且我们知道在天亮以前，我们有把握收入一大笔钱。
• Men in motors were hustling to pass one another in the hustling traffic. 开汽车的人在繁忙的交通中急急忙忙地互相超车。

17 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

18 judicious   

adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的

参考例句：

• We should listen to the judicious opinion of that old man.我们应该听取那位老人明智的意见。
• A judicious parent encourages his children to make their own decisions.贤明的父亲鼓励儿女自作抉择。

19 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

20 dubiously   

adv.可疑地，怀疑地

参考例句：

• "What does he have to do?" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去，撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句

21 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

22 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。