te and stayed
there, ready to go on or return to third. Sid doubled back for first.
Shortstop sized up the situation, made as though to throw to third and
then sent the ball to first. Sid turned again toward second. Roy was
dancing about a third of the way home.

"Watch home!" shouted the catcher.

But first baseman didn't hear, or hearing thought he knew better what to
do. Sid was between him and second baseman now, scrambling back and
forth like a rat in a trap. First threw to second and--

"Home! Home!" shrieked the rest of the players.

Second threw home, but he threw wildly and the ball struck the ground to
the left of the catcher and went bounding back toward the fence.

Roy picked himself up and, patting the dust from his clothes, walked
panting to the bench. Sid had reached third. Ferry Hill shouted and
capered and waved brown and white flags.

The scorer credited Ferry Hill with one more precious tally and, amid
noisy encouragement, Chub stepped smiling back into the box.

Rollins was the least bit rattled for the first time during the game.
Chub found a nice one and Sid raced home. Out between right fielder and
center fielder the ball fell to earth untouched and Chub was on first.

The cheering from the Ferry Hill side was wild and discordant, and it
didn't stop for an instant until Chub was caught stealing second and
put out two yards from the bag.

Ferry Hill's supporters were happier than they had been for an hour and
a half. To be sure, Hammond was still two runs to the good, but seven to
five sounded a whole lot nicer than seven to three; and, besides, Ferry
Hill's best batsmen were coming up for the last of the ninth. Hammond
went to bat with Stone, her center fielder up.

But Kirby had found his pace. Stone stood idle while two strikes and one
ball were called on him. Then he swung at what seemed to be made for his
purpose. Then he went back to the bench. Young took his place. Young was
a good hand with the stick and even Kirby's most puzzling balls couldn't
keep him from first. He lined out the hottest kind of a sizzler over
Chub's head and was ready to go to second when Post fielded it. But he
decided to stay where he was for the present. Perhaps had he known what
was to befall Hartley and Hyde he would have risked more then. As it
was, when he left first base it was not to take second but to trot out
to his position in right field. For Kirby struck out the next two
batsmen in a style extre