all jolly good fun, and though each side tried to win it was in
good-nature, which is how all games should be played. First Bunny's team
was ahead, and then Charlie's, until it came close to noon, when the
boys knew they would have to stop playing and go home to dinner.
"Now, fellows," said Bunny Brown, as it was his turn to bat, "I'm going
to knock a home run and that will win the game for us!"
"Pooh! You can't knock a home run!" laughed Charlie, who was pitching
for his side.
Bunny swung hard at the ball which Charlie pitched to him. And Bunny
himself was a little surprised when his bat struck it squarely and the
ball sailed away, much farther than he had ever knocked a ball before.
"Run, everybody! Run!" cried Bunny Brown, dropping the bat and starting
for first base himself. Two of his side were on the other bases, and if
they could all get in on his home run it would mean that his side would
win.
Higher and higher and farther and farther sailed the ball Bunny had
knocked, away over the head of fat Bobbie Boomer, who was playing out in
center field. It surely was going to be a home run.
"Oh, look where that ball's going!" cried Charlie Star, turning to watch
it. "Oh, it's going to break one of Mr. Morrison's windows!" Mr.
Morrison was a rather crabbed, cross old man who had a house on the edge
of the vacant lots where the boys played ball.
Bunny was too excited over his home run to pay much attention to where
the ball went, and Tom Case and Jerry Bond, who were running "home,"
thought only of how fast they could run. But the others watched the
ball, and a moment later saw it crash through one of Mr. Morrison's
windows.
By this time Bunny was at third base. He did not stop there, but ran on
in, touched home plate, and sank down to rest, very tired but happy
because he was sure his side would now win the ball game.
Out in the field, near the fence that was around Mr. Morrison's house,
Bobbie Boomer was calling:
"I can't get the ball! I can't get the ball! It's in Mr. Morrison's
house!"
And, surely enough, that's where it was--right in the house. It had gone
through the window.
"I--I made the home run all right!" panted Bunny Brown. "I told you I
would, Charlie Star!"
Bunny had run so fast that he had not heard the tinkle of the breaking
glass, nor had he seen where his ball went.
"Yes, you made a home run all right!" yelled Charlie. "And now we'd
better all _run home_ or Old Morrison w
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