t because they've swiped at those
curve balls."

"That's just what I'm afraid our fellows will do," said Bob. "That's
what's been worrying me."

"Well," said Jack, "about every one of those curves breaks outside the
plate. That is, if the batter didn't swing at them, the umpire would
have to call them balls. Just watch him in practice and you'll see
what I mean. Why not wait him out and make him pitch over the plate?"

"Say, that's a good idea, Jack! I'll call the fellows together, and
we'll see how that works. I think that's a good way to save the
game--hanged if I don't!"

And Bob Hart gave his orders accordingly. But it was harder to get the
Crows to do it than to tell them. Time after time they struck at
tempting balls, that looked as if they were going to split the plate,
only to have them break away out of reach of the swinging bats. So, in
the early stages of the game, Lawrence looked just as formidable as he
had in the school games in which his reputation had been made. Bob
Hart himself, and Jack, and Pete Stubbs, who could and would always
obey orders, made him pitch to them, and, because they waited and
refused to bite at his tempting curves, they put the star pitcher in
the hole each time.

He was a good pitcher as far as he went, but his equipment was not as
large as it should have been. He knew how to pitch a few balls very
well, but if they failed him, he was in trouble. He had nothing but
his wide curves--no straight, fast ball with a jump, no drop, no change
of pace. The first time Jack Danby came up, in the second inning, he
let the first three balls that Lawrence pitched go by, and Durland
called every one a ball. Then, when Lawrence had to put his ball
straight over or give him a pass, Jack smashed it to right for two
bases. But he was left on second, for the two who followed him were
over anxious, and were victims on strikes.

But Jack himself was pitching high class ball. He didn't try to strike
out every man who faced him, but made it next to impossible for the
Raccoons to make long hits off him, and he did have some fun with
Lawrence, striking him out three times in the first six innings.

In the seventh inning Bob Hart waited and got a base on balls. By that
time the Crows had begun to understand, and they waited now while
Lawrence's best curves went to waste, never offering to hit at any ball
that didn't come straight for the plate. Three passes in quick
succession fil