ON SATURDAY afternoon the Doanes packed up a picnic lunch and went to Burdett Park. The park was near Danby Lake, so all four of them took their bathing suits and went swimming. Michael loved the water. When he was very little, he had been afraid of the water. But they had taken him often and now he wasn't afraid any more.
Sand went along, too. She had to be tied to a leash, so somebody had to remain on shore with her. At first she barked and whined, because she wanted to go in the water, too. Both Michael and Johnny wanted her to go in, but Mr. Doane said that Sand had better stay on shore. Finally Sand stopped fussing and just lay on the soft grass and watched.
By the time they returned home, the boys were tired. That night Johnny slept like a log.
Late Sunday afternoon Manager Davis telephoned. He said that the Cardinals had a game with the Mudhens on Monday, and for Johnny to be at the field at five-thirty.
Johnny was excited. He had missed playing baseball. He thought back and realized that he had not played since last Wednesday.
He called up Freddie and asked Freddie to come to the house. He wanted to play catch with him. When Freddie came, he brought Mickey along. They took turns pitching, batting, and fielding. If the batter missed the pitch when he swung, he had to chase the ball himself.
Johnny ate very little for supper on Monday. He said he wasn't hungry.
“I'll eat more when I come back,” he told his mother happily. He looked at Michael. “Do you want to come to the game with me, Michael?”
“No, thanks,” Michael answered quietly.
“You sure?”
“Yes. I'm sure.”
“Okay. But you can come if you want to.”
“No. I'm going to listen to television.”
Johnny looked at his mother and father. They looked back at him, but neither of them said anything. Johnny didn't know why Michael did not want to go to the game. He guessed that his mother and father didn't know either.
He excused himself from the table. Outside he met Mickey and Freddie coming along the road. They started to the baseball field.
Mickey and Freddie were doing all the talking. The Cincinnati Redlegs had won again in the National League. In the American League the Yankees had lost, which put them only two and a half games in first place. Johnny, though, caught only pieces of their conversation. He wasn't listening, nor was he saying anything. He was thinking of Michael.
That was the first time Michael had refused to go to a game with him. Why? He had always jumped at the chance before.
Well, maybe he really did want to listen to television. There was a cowboy program on at six o'clock. Maybe that was what he wanted to hear.