rhaps he had asked Pat to try him once more at the top. The
bleachers voiced their unstinted appreciation of this return, showing
that Billie still had a strong hold on their hearts.

As for Madge, her breast heaved and she had difficulty in breathing.
This was going to be a hard game for her. The intensity of her desire
to see Billie brace up to his old form amazed her. And Carroll's rude
words beat thick in her ears. Never before had Billie appeared so
instinct with life, so intent and strung as when he faced Keene, the
Denver pitcher. That worthy tied himself up in a knot, and then,
unlimbering a long arm, delivered the brand new ball.

Billie seemed to leap forward and throw his bat at it. There was a
sharp ringing crack--and the ball was like a white string marvelously
stretching out over the players, over the green field beyond, and then,
sailing, soaring, over the right-field fence. For a moment the stands,
even the bleachers, were stone quiet. No player had ever hit a ball
over that fence. It had been deemed impossible, as was attested to by
the many painted "ads" offering prizes for such a feat. Suddenly the
far end of the bleachers exploded and the swelling roar rolled up to
engulf the grand stand in thunder. Billie ran round the bases to
applause never before vented on that field. But he gave no sign that
it affected him; he did not even doff his cap. White-faced and stern,
he hurried to the bench, where Pat fell all over him and many of the
players grasped his hands.

Up in her box Madge was crushing her score-card and whispering: "Oh!
Billie, I could hug you for that!"

Two runs on two pitched balls! That was an opening to stir an exacting
audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. The Denver manager
peremptorily called Keene off the diamond and sent in Steele, a
south-paw, who had always bothered Pat's left-handed hitters. That
move showed his astute judgment, for Steele struck out McReady and
retired Curtis and Mahew on easy chances.

It was Dalgren's turn to pitch and though he had shown promise in
several games he had not yet been tried out on a team of Denver's
strength. The bleachers gave him a good cheering as he walked into the
box, but for all that they whistled their wonder at Pat's assurance in
putting him against the Cowboys in an important game.

The lad was visibly nervous and the hard-hitting and loud-coaching
Denver players went after him as if they meant to drive him