wever, was called a strike. Then he made a sweep
for the next ball, sending it out in a red-hot liner toward Jack.

Many a young ball player would have stepped out of the way with such a
red-hot variety of baseball coming his way. But not so Jack Rover.
Like a flash his hands went out and he caught the ball firmly,
although the impact of the sphere whirled him half way around.

"Gee, look at that!"

"I wouldn't have caught that ball for a thousand dollars!"

A great shout of approval rang out, and during this Gif hurried over
to Jack's side.

"How about it--did it hurt you any?" he questioned quickly.

"It stung me a little, that's all," was Jack's reply. His hands burnt
like fire, but he did not intend to let anybody know it.

"One down! Now for the other two!" came the cry.

"Not much! Here is where we score!"

But alas for the hopes of Hixley High! The next man up went out on
strikes, and the fellow to follow knocked a foul which was easily
gathered in by the third baseman.

"Now here is where we bring home the bacon!" cried Ned Lowe, one of
the Colby Hall fans.

Andy Rover had been burning to distinguish himself, and now his chance
came. First to the bat, he made a very neat base hit. Then, however,
came an out, and the Colby Hall boys were, for a moment, downcast. But
they quickly recovered when the next player made a single and Andy
slid around safely to third.

"Now then, a hit! Just a neat little hit!" came the entreating cry.

"Oh, if only they do get it!" murmured Ruth Stevenson. "I wish Jack
was at the bat."

"It's my cousin Dick!" cried May Powell, and she was right--Spouter
Powell was up.

Spouter was not a particularly strong ball player, but he had one
feature which was in his favor--he knew how to keep cool, and that
helped greatly in this heart-breaking emergency. He waited calmly
until two strikes and two balls had been called, and then he struck a
low one, sending it just inside the first-base line. It slipped past
the baseman, and as Spouter's feet crossed the bag, Fred Rover slid in
safely to the home plate.

"Hurrah! Hurrah! Colby Hall wins!"

Then followed a wild cheering and yelling, in the midst of which the
crowds on the bleachers and the grandstand broke forth to mingle with
the players on the ball field. Of course, the Hixley High students
were much crestfallen, yet they tried to take their defeat in good
part.

"Three cheers for Hixley High!" shouted Gif Garrison, and