He now came bounding along, with his crutch making rapid jumps, and apparently every muscle in his poor distorted body in action.
But his thin face was lighted up with eagerness.

Evidently, it was no ordinary motive that had caused the lame boy to exert himself so earnestly in order to overtake the two chums.
"I've got something to tell you, Hugh," he panted, for he was almost out of breath, owing to his exertions; an ordinary boy might have run over that same stretch without showing it much, but it must have been a strenuous undertaking for the cripple.
"Glad to hear it," laughed Hugh.

"I'm waiting to have some one tell me that our team is going to wipe up the ground with both Allandale and Belleville when we come to grips.

Is your news of that sort, Limpy ?" Of course he was only joking when he said this.

Every one called the other Limpy, nor did he seem to mind it a particle; indeed, only from the teachers at school and his folks at home was it likely that he ever heard his name of Osmond spoken.
"Shucks! it hasn't a thing to do with baseball, or any other outdoor sport, Hugh," the cripple hastened to say.