terrific long line drive to
center field, but Stone took the ball on the run, and the Clearport
sympathizers groaned and cried, "Hard luck!"

"It _was_ hard luck for Boothby," muttered Springer. "If he'd placed
that drive farther to the left it would have been good for three
sus-sacks. It was a fearful slam. Oh, they'll hand it to Mr. Grant,
all right!"

The next batter, Long, likewise hit the ball, driving it buzzing along
the ground, and again the crowd groaned; for Nelson made a
hair-raising, one-hand, diving jab and got the sphere. He nearly
sprawled at full length upon the ground in doing this, but finally
regained his equilibrium in time to toss the ball to Crane for the
second put-out.

"Right fine work, Jack," praised Grant. "That was just about as fancy
as anything I ever saw."

"It was a fuf-fine thing for you, all right," whispered Springer to
himself. "Robbed Long of a hit. Oh, they're going to hand you yours!"

"You're playing ball to-day, fellows," smiled Eliot, readjusting the
catching mask. "That's the stuff!"

Barney Carney, Clearport's lively young Irishman, danced forth with a
bat.

"Just be after letting me put me shillaly against one of them," he
chuckled. "Ye'll find it over in the woods yonder."

After making three fouls, he hit the ball, hoisting it so high into the
air that it seemed to dwindle to a quarter of its usual size. Cooper,
coming into the diamond, gave no heed to the shouting of the crowd.
"I'll take it!" he yelled, as the ball fell swiftly. And take it he
did, freezing to the horsehide with a grip like grim death.

"You're wearing horseshoes all over you to-day, Mr. Grant," growled the
watching lad on the bench. "But there'll come a change; this can't
keep up."

It was impossible for him to wear a pleasant face as his teammates
gathered about him, even though he tried, in a measure, to hide his
chagrin. Silently he watched Stone lead off with a safety, and saw
Eliot unhesitatingly sacrifice Ben to second. Nor did he move a muscle
when Sile Crane slashed one into right field and Stone won the approval
of his comrades and awakened the enthusiasm of the little crowd of
Oakdale rooters by making a marvelous sprint over third and a slide to
the plate that brought him to the rubber ahead of the ball.

Oakes, taking a brace, disposed of Cooper and Piper in double-quick
time; and the visitors were forced to remain content with a single
tally in the second.

Cl