hand holding the ball, and
then sent a scorcher over the plate so quickly that Edwards was not
prepared and did not offer at it.

"One strike!" decided the umpire.

"That's the way to fool 'em on the first one," laughed Frank Merriwell,
softly. "Woods is up to tricks. Boys, that fellow is a dandy, I
believe."

Smithers tried to get a good start from first, but Woods kept him close
to the base, much to the delight of the Camden crowd. All Camden was
confident that Rockland was doomed to defeat that day.

The second ball was a coaxer, but Edwards let it pass. Then came another
swift one, and the batter went after it and missed it entirely.

The Camden crowd howled its delight.

"That's the stuff, Woodsie!" yelled a voice. "Leave Smithers on first,
same as they left Williamson."

"He can't do it, you know!" sung back a Rockland rooter.

Woods was the essence of coolness. He teased Edwards with two out-drops,
and then he seemed to gather himself for a speedy one. As the batting
score stood three balls and two strikes, the batter felt that Woods
would use a straight, swift ball and try to cut a corner of the plate.

Woods seemed to send the ball with all the strength he could command,
but, strange to say, it lingered in the air, and, too late, Edwards saw
it was a slow one.

The big shortstop bit at it. He smashed at it with all his strength, and
he hit the ball with the tip of his bat. The coacher had sent Smithers
for second on that ball when it left Woods' hand. It was too late to
stop him when they saw the ball popped up into the air as an easy
infield fly.

Makune called out that he would take it, and ran in under it. Edwards,
who had a lame knee, ran as if sprinting for his life. The ball hung in
the air a long time, while Makune stood under it, waiting for it to come
down.

When it did come down it created one of the sensations of the day, for
it dropped into Makune's hands and fell out. There was a roar of
astonishment that this crack infielder of the New England League should
drop a ball like that. Makune was the most astonished man within the
inclosure of that ball ground, for he had not done anything like that
before during the entire season.

Then there was a kick, as Moslof claimed that Makune dropped it
purposely, and, as he had thrown the ball over to first on picking it
up, Edwards was out on an infield fly, even though he had reached the
base ahead of the ball.

The umpire knew his busines