k's one thought was gratitude that after all Fred had been able
to come through the great test with his honor unsullied. He had shot the
ball as straight as a die at Mullane; and the game was still anybody's
so far as victory was concerned.

They played a tenth inning, and still not a runner so much as reached
second. Really both pitchers seemed to be getting constantly better,
strange to say, for they mowed the batters down in succession, or else
caused them to pop up fouls that were readily captured by the first or
third basemen, or the man behind the bat.

This was not so wonderful on the part of the veteran Hendrix, for he was
well seasoned in the game, and had been known to figure in a
thirteen-inning deal, coming out ahead in the end when his opponent
weakened. Everybody, however, declared it to be simply marvelous that a
greenhorn slab-artist like young Donohue should prove to be the
possessor of so much stamina.

The eleventh inning went through in quick order. Still the tie remained
unbroken, though Jack managed to get a single in his turn at bat. Phil
Parker also rapped a ferocious screamer across the infield, but hit into
a double that ended the hopeful rally at bat.

When the twelfth opened up, a number of people were seen to start away.
They may have been enthusiastic fans enough, but the day was waning,
home might be far distant, and they did not like the way those clouds
had rolled up, promising a storm sooner or later.

The sun was out of sight long since, and objects could not be determined
as easily as when the game began. Every little while that weather-sharp,
Oliver, would take a sailor-like squint aloft, and chuckle to himself.
Indeed, Specs, his companion, was of the opinion that Oliver would be
willing to cheerfully take a good ducking if he could only have his
scorned prediction prove a true shot.

There were those present so intent on the game that they paid no
attention to the gathering clouds, and the fact that it was getting
difficult to see the ball. This latter fact was depended on to help
bring matters to a focus, because errors were more likely to occur, any
one of which might prove sufficient to let in the winning run.

But if the fielders were thus handicapped, the batters had their own
troubles. They could not distinguish the fast-speeding ball as it shot
by, and consequently were apt to whack away at anything, so strike-outs
must become the order of the day.

The twelfth ende