the crowd arose and
stood to urge the Travelers to make certain the victory and "rooted"
with the unholy glee that all crowds show over the downfall of a
champion.

The eighth commenced. A base on balls paved the way and gave the Bears
a chance to exhibit their resourceful style of attack which had
overthrown so many opposing teams. The Travelers played deep,
believing that with two runs needed to tie the score the Bears would
not attempt to sacrifice, and Noisy Norton hooked his bat around
quickly, dropped a bunt down the third-base line, and beat the ball to
first base before Pickett, the third baseman of the Travelers, who had
been caught asleep, could reach the ball.

McCarthy glanced toward the seat where Edwards, the gambler, sat. Easy
Ed's face was hard and set. He gripped the front of the box. The
gambler's iron nerve was shaken. Swanson rushed to the plate, swinging
two bats, and crouching, he pushed his bat back and forth as if
determined to lay down a sacrifice bunt. The Traveler infield crept
closer to stop the bunt. One ball was pitched wide. Again Swanson
crouched, and as the second pitched ball came whizzing up he made a
sharp, quick lunge; the ball went like a flash across first base, as
Davis dived vainly toward it, rolled onto foul ground, and before the
right fielder could retrieve the ball as it glanced along the front of
the stands, two runs were across the plate and the score was tied.

McCarthy looked again. Edwards's usually stony face was writhing with
fury and disappointment as he leaned forward. The panic had seized the
Travelers. The infield was pulled close to intercept the runner at the
plate, and the shortstop, over anxious to make the play, fumbled the
easy grounder. Before the inning closed five runs were across the
plate; the Bears had snatched victory from defeat, and they clung to
their lead and won 6 to 3.

As the last batter for the Travelers went out on a long fly to the
Bears' center fielder, McCarthy saw Edwards rise and hurl his cigar
viciously against the floor of the box, then turn to gaze long and
earnestly toward the Bear bench. Suddenly he gave a nod of his head
and McCarthy, following the line of the gambler's gaze, saw Williams
flush and then pale, as he turned to help the bat-boy pack the clubs.

McCarthy had intended to follow Swanson's suggestion and to plan with
Swanson what course to adopt in explaining to Manager Clancy how
matters stood, but he