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B

uck’sten-year-oldsister,Sheila,staredattheDoggieExpressvan.ShewasshortandstockylikeBuck.

“Yourmom’svanissocool,Patrick!”Sheilasaid.“Ilovedogs.Don’tyou?”

PatrickfollowedSheilaasshewalkedaroundthevan.“Sure,Ilikedogs,”hesaid.“MybrotherhasamuttnamedBuffthatcancatchaFrisbeeanddolotsoftricks.ButBuffisscaredtodeathofmycat,Slider.Sliderishalfhissizeandstillrulesourhouse!”

Sheilalaughed.“Ilikehername.”

BynowMrs.Deboewassurroundedbyotherparentsaskingheraboutthedog-groomingbusiness.Hismotherwassmallandwiry,likePatrick.Allhecouldseeweretheredcurlsbouncingontopofherhead.

Suddenlyarealhowlcamefromthebackofthevan.“A-roo!”

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“Mymothermustalreadyhaveacustomerinthere,”saidPatrick.

“A-roo!A-roo!”

“Itsoundslikeanunhappycustomer!”saidSheila.

PatrickandSheilapeekedintothebackwindowofthevan.Adogwasinacrate.

“Helookssad.CanIpethim?”askedSheila.

“Sure,”saidPatrick.“Maybeyoucancheerhimupuntilmymomgetsdonetalkingtopeople.”Heopenedthevan’sbackdoor,andsuddenlythedoorofthecratesprangopentoo.Patrickyelpedasacockerspanielboundedoutofthevan.

“Catchhim!”yelledDaniel,runningovertohelp.

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Butthedogwasn’tgoinganywhere.HedancedmaniacallyaroundSheilaandPatrick.

Sheilalaughed.“Helikesus!”

“Hesuredoes.”DanielpickedupthepupandletSheilapethimforafewminutes.Thenheputthedogbackinthecrateandmadesurethedoorwaslockedthistime.

“ThanksforcapturingOtto,Daniel,”saidMrs.Deboeastheyallgotinthevantoheadhome.“Yousavedmefromlosingoneofmyfirstclients.”

Danielgrinned.“Iamacatcher,youknow.”

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Mrs.Deboelaughed.“Youcancatchbaseballs—andpets!”

EveryonebutPatricklaughedagain.Hestayedsilent,staringoutthewindowashisteammatesbarkedattheDoggieExpressvandrivingoutoftheparkinglot.

“Whathappenedtomygreatday?”hethought.Thefirstpracticehadbeendisappointing,andhehadapileofmathhomeworkwaitingforhim.Plus,nooneinhisfamilyseemedtocarethatanewcatcher—areallygoodnewcatcher—hadjoinedtheDragons.

“And,accordingtoDaniel,”P(pán)atrickthought,“Iabsolutelystinkasacatcher!”

DuringdinnerMrs.Deboekepttalkingabouthernewbusiness.“Igotthreejobsthisafternoonjustintheparking

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lot!IthinkDoggieExpressisgoingtobeabigsuccess!”

“We’llhelpwhenwecan—right,boys?”Mr.Deboesaid.

“Woof!”Danielgrinned.

“Sure,”mutteredPatrick.Hewasgladthathismomhadanewbusiness.Butherdogvanlookedridiculous.Hedidn’twanttorideinit,especiallynottoandfrombaseballgames.Histeammateswouldneverstopbarkingandhowlingatit.

Halfanhourlater,PatrickandDanielwerewashingdishes.

“Youwanttogooversomeofthebatterswe’llbefacingatthescrimmagenextweek?”askedDanielwhentheywerealmostfinished.

“I’dliketositinonthat!”calledMr.Deboefromthelivingroom.

Mrs.Deboefrowned.“Patrick,don’tyouhavemathhomework?”sheasked.

Patrickhesitated.He’dplannedonstartinghismathhomeworkafterdinner,butabaseballstrategysessionsoundedlikealotmorefun.

“Don’tworry,Mom,”hesaidquickly.“It’stheweekend.I’vegotplentyoftimeformath.Icanworkon

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myhomeworklaterandalldaytomorrow.”

“Okay,”shesaidwithanod.“Justrememberourdiscussionaboutmath.Youcan’tplaybaseballifyourgradesslip.”

“Noproblem,”P(pán)atricksaid.“I’mtotallyontopofthesituation.”

DanielsatatthecomputerwhilePatrickandMr.Deboepulledupchairsbesidehim.DanielquicklyfoundtherosterfortheteamtheDragonswereplayingnextweek,theSwallows.

Patrickscannedthroughthebatters’names.Inbaseball,thecatcherwastheonlyplayerwhocouldseethewholefield.Soitwashisjobtoknowwhereeveryone

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was—hisownplayersaswellasanyrunnersonbase.Itwasabigadvantageforacatchertoknowabouttheplayersontheotherteamsincethecatcherwastheonewhocalledthepitches.

DanielpointedatNumber14.“Thisplayercrowdsthebase,”hesaid.“Givehimapitchontheinsideoftheplate.He’llhitanoutsidepitchoutofthepark.”

“Irememberhim,”saidMr.Deboe.“Hehitthatpop-upyoucaughtinthefirstgamelastyear.”

Patrickwasn’tsurprisedthathisfatherrememberedaplayfromayearago.Mr.Deboepracticallylivedonballparkhotdogsandpopcornduringbaseballseason.Patrickhopedthathisfatherwouldsoonbetalkingabout

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Patrick’smiddleschoolplaystoo.

“Thisone,Number42,isaseventh-grader,”continuedDaniel.

“He’sagoodhitter,”P(pán)atrickmurmured.“IrememberhimfromLittleLeague.”

Mr.Deboeleanedforward.“ThinkhecanhitDell’spitches?”

“Hemayfindthatmiddleschoolpitchersarealottougherthanwhathe’susedto,”saidDaniel.

Itwasafternineo’clockwhenMrs.Deboepointedtotheclock.“Okay,Patrick,enoughbaseball.It’stimeformath.”

“Coming,”P(pán)atrickmurmured.Hestoodupafew

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minuteslaterandDanielgavehimathumbs-up.

“Workonlearningthebatterseverynight,andyou’llbereadyforthegame.”

Mr.Deboepointedtohishead.“Halfthegameisinhere,”hesaid.“Acatcher’sgottobesmart.”HeturnedtoDaniel.“Wanttogoouttothegarageforabit?”

Danielgrinned.“Sure.”

Patrickwasn’tsurprised.AlmosteverynightDanielandMr.DeboeworkedonanoldcarthatMr.De