day!"

Not improbably we all entertained the identical thought that old man
Hathaway was the last pitcher under the sun calculated to be effective
with the "rabbit." He never relied on speed; in fact, Merritt often
scornfully accused him of being unable to break a pane of glass; he
used principally what we called floaters and a change of pace. Both
styles were absolutely impractical with the "rabbit."

"It's comin' to us, all right, all right!" yelled Deerfoot to me,
across the intervening grass. I was of the opinion that it did not
take any genius to make Deerfoot's ominous prophecy.

Old man Hathaway gazed at Merritt on the bench as if he wished the
manager could hear what he was calling him and then at his
fellow-players as if both to warn and beseech them. Then he pitched the
"rabbit."

Crack!

The big lumbering Canadian rapped the ball at Crab Bane. I did not see
it, because it went so fast, but I gathered from Crab's actions that it
must have been hit in his direction. At any rate, one of his legs
flopped out sidewise as if it had been suddenly jerked, and he fell in
a heap. The ball, a veritable "rabbit" in its wild jumps, headed on for
Deerfoot, who contrived to stop it with his knees.

The next batter resembled the first one, and the hit likewise, only it
leaped wickedly at Doran and went through his hands as if they had been
paper. The third man batted up a very high fly to Gillinger. He
clutched at it with his huge shovel hands, but he could not hold it.
The way he pounced upon the ball, dug it out of the grass, and hurled
it at Hathaway, showed his anger.

Obviously Hathaway had to stop the throw, for he could not get out of
the road, and he spoke to his captain in what I knew were no
complimentary terms.

Thus began retribution. Those husky lads continued to hammer the
"rabbit" at the infielders and as it bounced harder at every bounce so
they batted harder at every bat.

Another singular feature about the "rabbit" was the seeming
impossibility for professionals to hold it. Their familiarity with it,
their understanding of its vagaries and inconsistencies, their mortal
dread made fielding it a much more difficult thing than for their
opponents.

By way of variety, the lambasting Canadians commenced to lambast a few
over the hills and far away, which chased Deerfoot and me until our
tongues lolled out.

Every time a run crossed the plate the motley crowd howled, roared,
danced and t