chuckled Toby, as Herb Jones stepped up to see
what he could do for a starter.

His best was a foul that the catcher smothered in his big mitt after
quite an exciting rush here and there, for it was difficult to judge of
such a twister. Herb looked utterly disgusted as he threw down his bat.
Joel Jackman struck the first offering dealt out to him, and got away
with it in the bargain. Perched on first the lanky fielder grinned, and
called out encouragingly at Toby, who was next.

Hendrix tightened up. He looked very grim and determined. Toby wanted to
bunt, but he managed instead to send a little grounder along toward
first. Joel was already booming along in the direction of second, and
taking a grand slide, for fear that the throw would catch him.

But after all Chase had some difficulty in picking up the ball, as
sometimes happens to the best of them; and while he did hurl it to
second, the umpire held up his hands to announce that Joel was safe. No
one disputed his decision, though it had been a trifle close.

Matters were looking up for Chester again. One man was down, but that
was Big Bob Jeffries striding up to the plate, with a grim look on his
face. If Hendrix were wise he would send him along on balls; but then
the pitcher had perfect faith in his ability to deceive the heaviest of
hitters.

Twice did Big Bob swing, each time almost falling down when his bat met
with no resistance. He took a fresh grip and steeled himself. Jack
called out a word of warning, but Big Bob shook his head. No matter what
Hendrix gave him, he could reach it, his confident, almost bulldog
manner declared.

Well, he did!

He smacked the very next offering of the great Harmony pitcher so hard
that it looked like a dot in the heavens as it sped away over
right-field fence for a magnificent home run.

Big Bob trotted around the circuit with a wide grin on his face, chasing
Joel and Toby before him, while the crowd went fairly wild with joy--at
least that section of it representative of Chester did. The Harmony
rooters looked pretty blue, to tell the truth, for they realized that
only a miracle could keep their rivals from running off with the
hard-fought game.

"That sews it up, I reckon!" many of them were heard to say.

There were no more runs made by Chester, for Hendrix mowed the next
batter down with comparative ease; but the mischief had already been
done.

Harmony made a last fierce effort to score in their half of the