on the line between third and home in an agony of
indecision. Was the ball caught or not? If it were, he would have to
return to third. If it were not, he must make a break for home.

The teams were all shouting now, while the crowd went into convulsions.
The third baseman reached Curry and grabbed him with one hand, while with
the other he frantically tried to get the ball from his pocket and clap
it on him. But the ball stuck, and in the mixup both players fell to the
ground and rolled over and over.

Larry, in the meanwhile, was tearing round the bases, but he himself
wasn't sure whether he was really out or whether he ought to strike for
home. He reached third and pulled up there, still in the throes of doubt.
He could have easily gone on past the struggling combatants, but in that
case, if Curry were finally declared not out, Larry would also be out for
having passed him and got home first.

On the other hand, if Curry should finally escape and get back to third,
one of them would still be out because he was occupying the bag to which
his comrade was entitled. He did not really know whether he was running
for exercise or to score a run.

It was the funniest mixup that even the veteran players had ever seen on a
ball field, and as for the crowd they were wild with joy.

The third baseman, finding that Curry was about to get away from him and
unable to get the ball out of his pocket, finally threw his arms about him
and hugged him close in the wild hope that some part of the protruding
ball would touch his prisoner's person and thus put him out.

The sight of those burly gladiators, locked in a fond embrace, threatened
the sanity of the onlookers, but the farce was ended when Curry finally
wriggled out from the anaconda grasp of his opponent and took a chance for
the plate.

Then there was a hot debate, as the umpire, himself laughing until the
tears ran down his face, tried to solve the situation. Had Curry been
touched by the ball, or had he not? Had the ball been caught or not?

Players on both sides tugged at him as they debated the matter _pro_ and
_con_.

"I don't know what that umpire's name is," grinned Jim to Joe, who was
weak with laughter, "but I know what it ought to be."

"What?" asked Joe.

"Solomon," chuckled Jim.

CHAPTER XV

THE BEWILDERED UMPIRE

But whatever the umpire's name might have been, he only resembled Solomon
in one respect. He was inclined to compromise and cut th