which he believed the
other was wearing to conceal the real cause of his uneasiness.

The game started and progressed, with every fellow filled with vim and
vigor. To those who had come to size up the team before the great
battle, it seemed as if every member had made strides forward since the
last match, when Harmony won out in that last fierce inning after the
rally that almost put Chester on top.

From time to time, each, individual player would seem to rise up and
perform the most remarkable stunts. Now it was Joel Jackman, out in
center, who made a marvelous running catch, jumping in the air, and
pulling down a ball that seemed good for at least a three-bagger, also
holding the horse-hide sphere even while he rolled over twice on the
ground.

Later on, a great triple play was pulled off, Winters at first to Jones
on second, and home to Mullane in time to catch a runner attempting to
profit by all this excitement. Such a wonderful handling of the ball in
a match game would give the crowd a chance to break loose with mighty
cheers, friends and foes joining in to do the clever athletes honor.

Then there was Big Bob Jeffries, a terror at the bat; three times up,
and each occasion saw him almost knock the cover off the ball, making
two home runs, and a three-bagger in the bargain. Why, if only Big Bob
could duplicate that performance on the following day, it was
"good-night to Harmony." But then there was a slight difference between
the pitcher of the scrub team and the mighty slab artist who officiated
for Harmony; and possibly, Bob might only find thin air when he struck
savagely at the oncoming ball, dexterously tagged for a drop, or a
sweeping curve.

Nevertheless, everybody seemed satisfied that the entire team was "on
edge," and in the "pink of condition." If they failed to carry off the
honors in that deciding game, there would be no valid excuse to offer,
save that Harmony was a shade too much for them. Even though they might
be defeated, they meant to fight doggedly to the end of the ninth
inning, and feel that they had given the champions of the county a "run
for their money."

Win or lose, Chester had awakened to the fact that the local team was
well worth patronizing. Another season would see vast improvements, and
the time might yet come when Chester would write her name at the top of
the county teams. All sorts of other open-air sports were being talked
of, and there was a host of eager candidates