Page:Lefty o' the Bush.djvu/208

 lifted his voice in a shrill shout: "Hey, fellers, come on! This way. Here we be."

There were answering calls, and the sound of running feet and crashing bushes. Seeing a look of uncertainty upon the girl's face, Locke hastened to reassure her:

"Let them come, Miss Harting. This is as good a place as any for them to amuse themselves."

"But you—we have disturbed your reading."

"There are things more interesting than books, and I was really a bit lonely. See, there is a clean log on which you may sit, and, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you. You'll certainly be well chaperoned. Of course, if you object to my company and—"

Making the grove ring with their whoops, six youngsters came bursting into the glade. Tommy quickly satisfied their surprised curiosity regarding the young man they found talking to their teacher.

"That's Lefty," he said. "We jes' run ercrost him here by accidunt. He's ther greatest pitcher that ever bent er slant over the slab round these parts. Me brudder Bill says so."

"Aw, g'wan!" retorted a barefooted boy, who was a bit larger and somewhat older. "My brud