ady, moved
up to the plate, where he stood, swinging his bat, and waiting for the
first one.

The catcher, Russell, signalled for a swift, straight one, and, though
Joe would rather have pitched his fadeaway, he nodded his head to show
that he accepted.

The ball whizzed from Joe's hand, and he felt a wave of apprehension, a
second later, that it was going to be slammed somewhere out over the
centre field fence. But, to his chagrin, he heard the umpire call:

"Ball one!"

The batter grinned cheerfully at Joe.

"That won't happen again!" thought our hero fiercely.

This time the catcher signalled for a teasing curve, and again Joe
signified that he would deliver it. He did, and successfully, too. The
batter made a half motion, as though he were going to strike at it, and
then refrained, but the umpire called, in tones that were musical to
Joe's ear:

"Strike--one!"

"He's feedin' 'em to 'em!" joyfully exclaimed Boswell to the manager.
"Joe's feedin' 'em in, all right."

"Too early to judge," replied the cautious manager. "Wait a bit."

But Joe struck out his man, and a little applause came from his fellow
players on the bench.

"That's the way to do it, boy!"

"Tease 'em along!"

"We only need two more!"

Thus they called encouragingly to him.

Joe was hit once that half of the inning, and no runs came in. The score
was still tie.

"Now, boys, we've got to bat!" said the manager when his team came in.
"We need three or four runs, or this game will make us ashamed to go
back to St. Louis."

There was a noticeable improvement as the Cardinals went to bat. Tom
Dugan slammed out one that was good for three bases, and Dots McCann, by
a double, brought in the needed run. The St. Louis boys were themselves
again. The fact that the visiting pitcher was "going to pieces" rather
helped, too.

The Cardinals were two runs to the good when the inning ended.

"Now we want to hold them there. It's up to you, Joe, and the rest of
you boys!" exclaimed Mr. Watson as the leaguers again took the field.

Joe had more confidence in himself now, though it oozed away somewhat
when the first man up struck the ball savagely. But it was only a foul,
and, though Russell tried desperately to get it, he could not.

It was a case of three and two again, and Joe's nerves were tingling.

"Hit it now, Red!" the friends of the visiting player besought him.
"Bang it right on the nose!"

"He hasn't anything on you!"

"Nothi