s beaten."

She went to the game with Henderson and sat in the grand stand, and the
boys spied them out and told the Rube. He did not believe it at first,
but finally saw them, looked deeply hurt and offended, and then grew
angry. But the gong, sounding at that moment, drew his attention to
his business of the day, to pitch.

His work that day reminded me of the first game he ever pitched for me,
upon which occasion Captain Spears got the best out of him by making
him angry. For several innings Providence was helpless before his
delivery. Then something happened that showed me a crisis was near. A
wag of a fan yelled from the bleachers.

"Honeymoon Rube!"

This cry was taken up by the delighted fans and it rolled around the
field. But the Rube pitched on, harder than ever. Then the knowing
bleacherite who had started the cry changed it somewhat.

"Nanny's Rube!" he yelled.

This, too, went the rounds, and still the Rube, though red in the face,
preserved his temper and his pitching control. All would have been
well if Bud Wiler, comedian of the Providence team, had not hit upon a
way to rattle Rube.

"Nanny's Goat!" he shouted from the coaching lines. Every Providence
player took it up.

The Rube was not proof against that. He yelled so fiercely at them,
and glared so furiously, and towered so formidably, that they ceased
for the moment. Then he let drive with his fast straight ball and hit
the first Providence batter in the ribs. His comrades had to help him
to the bench. The Rube hit the next batter on the leg, and judging
from the crack of the ball, I fancied that player would walk lame for
several days. The Rube tried to hit the next batter and sent him to
first on balls. Thereafter it became a dodging contest with honors
about equal between pitcher and batters. The Providence players
stormed and the bleachers roared. But I would not take the Rube out
and the game went on with the Rube forcing in runs.

With the score a tie, and three men on bases one of the players on the
bench again yelled "Nanny's Goat!"

Straight as a string the Rube shot the ball at this fellow and bounded
after it. The crowd rose in an uproar. The base runners began to
score. I left my bench and ran across the space, but not in time to
catch the Rube. I saw him hit two or three of the Providence men.
Then the policemen got to him, and a real fight brought the big
audience into the stamping melee. Before the Rub