upon the plate, spread wide his long arms, made a
short presentation speech and an elaborate bow, then backed away.

All eyes were centered on Clammer. If he had taken it right the
incident might have passed without undue hilarity. But Clammer became
absolutely wild with rage. It was well known that he was unmarried.
Equally well was it seen that Gilbat had executed one of his famous
tricks. Ball players were inclined to be dignified about the
presentation of gifts upon the field, and Clammer, the dude, the swell,
the lady's man, the favorite of the baseball gods--in his own
estimation--so far lost control of himself that he threw his bat at his
retreating tormentor. Red jumped high and the bat skipped along the
ground toward the bench. The players sidestepped and leaped and, of
course, the bat cracked one of Delaney's big shins. His eyes popped
with pain, but he could not stop laughing. One by one the players lay
down and rolled over and yelled. The superior Clammer was not
overliked by his co-players.

From the grand stand floated the laughter of ladies and gentlemen. And
from the bleachers--that throne of the biting, ironic, scornful
fans--pealed up a howl of delight. It lasted for a full minute. Then,
as quiet ensued, some boy blew a blast of one of those infernal little
instruments of pipe and rubber balloon, and over the field wailed out a
shrill, high-keyed cry, an excellent imitation of a baby. Whereupon
the whole audience roared, and in discomfiture Reddy Clammer went in
search of his bat.

To make his chagrin all the worse he ingloriously struck out. And then
he strode away under the lea of the grand-stand wall toward right field.

Reddie Ray went to bat and, with the infield playing deep and the
outfield swung still farther round to the right, he bunted a little
teasing ball down the third-base line. Like a flash of light he had
crossed first base before Hanley got his hands on the ball. Then Kane
hit into second base, forcing Reddie out.

Again the game assumed less spectacular and more ordinary play. Both
Scott and Wehying held the batters safely and allowed no runs. But in
the fifth inning, with the Stars at bat and two out, Red Gilbat again
electrified the field. He sprang up from somewhere and walked to the
plate, his long shape enfolded in a full-length linen duster. The
color and style of this garment might not have been especially
striking, but upon Red it had a weird and wonde