ane, the best bunter, the fastest man to first, the
hardest hitter in the league! That he would fail to advance those two
runners was scarcely worth consideration. Once advanced, a fly to the
outfield, a scratch, anything almost, would tie the score. So this was
the climax presaged so many times earlier in the game. Dalgren seemed
to wilt under it.

Kane swung his ash viciously and called on Dalgren to put one over.
Dalgren looked in toward the bench as if he wanted and expected to be
taken out. But Pat Donahue made no sign. Pat had trained many a
pitcher by forcing him to take his medicine. Then Carroll, mask under
his arm, rolling his big hand in his mitt, sauntered down to the
pitcher's box. The sharp order of the umpire in no wise disconcerted
him. He said something to Dalgren, vehemently nodding his head the
while. Players and audience alike supposed he was trying to put a
little heart into Dalgren, and liked him the better, notwithstanding
the opposition to the umpire.

Carroll sauntered back to his position. He adjusted his breast
protector, and put on his mask, deliberately taking his time. Then he
stepped behind the plate, and after signing for the pitch, he slowly
moved his right hand up to his mask.

Dalgren wound up, took his swing, and let drive. Even as he delivered
the ball Carroll bounded away from his position, flinging off the mask
as he jumped. For a single fleeting instant, the catcher's position
was vacated. But that instant was long enough to make the audience
gasp. Kane bunted beautifully down the third base line, and there
Carroll stood, fifteen feet from the plate, agile as a huge monkey. He
whipped the ball to Mahew at third. Mahew wheeled quick as thought and
lined the ball to second. Sheldon came tearing for the bag, caught the
ball on the run, and with a violent stop and wrench threw it like a
bullet to first base. Fast as Kane was, the ball beat him ten feet. A
triple play!

The players of both teams cheered, but the audience, slower to grasp
the complex and intricate points, needed a long moment to realize what
had happened. They needed another to divine that Carroll had
anticipated Kane's intention to bunt, had left his position as the ball
was pitched, had planned all, risked all, played all on Kane's sure
eye; and so he had retired the side and won the game by creating and
executing the rarest play in baseball.

Then the audience rose in a body to greet the grea