will be a swift, straight one, and
I'm going to dig in my spikes and set for it," he decided. And he did.
He made a beautiful hit, and amid the wild yells of the crowd he
started for first. He beat the ball by a narrow margin, and was declared
safe.

A pinch hitter was up next, and amid a breathless silence he was
watched. But the peerless pitcher was taking no chances, and walked him,
thinking to get Joe later.

But he did not. For, as luck would have it, Rad Chase made the hit of
his life, a three-bagger, and with the crowd going wild, two runs came
in, giving the Cardinals the game, if they could hold the Giants down.

And it was up to Joe to do this. Could he?

As Joe walked to the mound, for that last momentous inning, he glanced
toward the box where his parents, sister and Mabel sat. A little hand
was waved to him, and Joe waved back. Then he faced his first man.

"Thud!" went the ball in Doc Mullin's big mitt.

"Ball!" droned the umpire.

"Thud!" went another. The batter stood motionless.

"Strike!"

The batter indignantly tapped the rubber.

"Crack!"

"You can't get it!" yelled the crowd, as the ball shot up in a foul.

The umpire tossed a new ball to Joe, for the other had gone too far
away to get back speedily.

Joe wet the horsehide, and sent it drilling in. The batter made a slight
motion, as though to hit it, but refrained:

"Strike! You're out!" said the umpire, stolidly.

"Why, that ball was----"

"You're out!" and the umpire waved him aside, impatiently.

Joe grinned in delight.

But when he saw the next man, "Home Run Crater," facing him, our hero
felt a little shaky. True, the chances were in favor of the Cardinals,
but baseball is full of chances that make or break.

"If he wallops it!" thought Joe.

But Crater did not wallop it. In his characteristic manner he swung at
the first delivery, and connected with it. Over Joe's head it was going,
but with a mighty jump Joe corraled it in one hand, a sensational catch
that set the crowd wild. Joe was playing the game of his life.

"Only one more!"

"Strike him out!"

"The game is ours, Joe!"

But another heavy hitter was up, and there was still work for Baseball
Joe to do.

To his alarm, as he sent in his first ball, there came to his arm that
had been twisted on the car, a twinge of pain.

"My! I hope that doesn't bother me," thought Joe, in anxiety.

"Ball one," announced the umpire.

Joe delivered a straight, swift