ng, my brother, don't settle it in the first inning."

Owen got in his little bunt, all right, and succeeded in advancing
the runner to second, as well as saving his own bacon. So there
were two on the bags, and as many down, when Hugh stepped up and took
a chance at the offerings of the wily Kinsey.

Hugh managed to pick out a good one and sent it like a bullet straight
at the shortstop, who knocked it down; and finding that he could not
reach first in time, as Hugh was jumping along like the wind, sent
it over to second, where he caught Owen just by a fraction of an
inch, and Mr. Hitchens waved him off; so after all the brave start,
no score resulted.

In their half of the first, Belleville did no better. In fact, they
only got a man on first through an error on the part of Joe Danvers,
who unfortunately slipped in reaching for the ball, and as his
foot was not on the bag the umpire called the runner safe. But he
died there, Alan Tyree cutting the next two men down as a mower in
the field might the ripe grain with his scythe.

Again did Scranton make a bid for a run in the next deal, but once
more slipped up when hope had begun to grip the hearts of many of
the anxious home rooters. In this inning "K.K." struck out, Julius
Hobson was sent to the bench on a foul that Wright out in the field
managed to settle under after a lively run; Tyree got a Texas league
hit that allowed him to plant himself on first, and Thad slipped
one over into the bleachers in right that, according to the ground
rules, allowed him to go to second.

With men on two bags up came "Just" Smith, who had done so bravely
before; but alas! as that Belleville fan had truly said, the local
pitcher had tightened up and was not such "easy pickings" now; so
Smith only whiffed, and the side was out.

Belleville, much encouraged, started hitting in their half of this
inning. Two good blows, added to a couple of errors, allowed them
to send a brace of runners around the circuit. It began to look
serious for Scranton, and Hugh bade his men brace up and do something
worth while.

With Scranton at the bat Joe Danvers cracked out a clean single,
after he had had seven fouls called on him. Juggins tried to do
the same but failed to connect. Owen, after two strikes and three
balls, again bunted. He succeeded in shoving Joe down to second,
but it went as a sacrifice after all, because they got Owen before
he could cross the initial sack.

Again h