therwise have been
the case.

"Now listen, Jack," said Gif, taking him to one side after Jack had
pitched through the fifth inning. "If your hand hurts you, say so, and
I'll put another fellow in the box."

"Never mind my hand, Gif, as long as I can treat them to goose eggs,"
answered the young pitcher.

"But I don't want you to ruin your hand."

"That's all right. When I feel I can't do any more pitching I'll let you
know."

In the sixth inning there came a break. But this could not be called
Jack's fault. The first Longley player up, a chap named Mason, managed
to dribble the ball toward third, and before either the baseman or the
shortstop could send it over he had reached first. Then, on a wild throw
to second, the runner not only covered that bag, but went on and slid in
to third.

"Now we've got 'em a-going, fellows!" was the Longley yell.

"Right you are!"

"Nobody out, and a man on third! This is the time we wipe up the diamond
with them! Everybody on the job!"

The next player went out on a pop fly. Then came Tommy Flanders, who did
his best to line out a single. This was stopped by the second baseman,
who, however, threw the ball to the home plate, thus cutting off the
possibility of a run.

"Hurrah! Two men on base, and only one out!"

"Here is where Longley does some big scoring!"

"Jack, are you sure you can hold 'em?" Gif questioned anxiously, as he
came up to the pitcher.

"I'll do it or die in the attempt," was the answer, and Jack gritted his
teeth.

It was certainly a trying situation, but the young pitcher refused to
allow his nerves to get the better of him. He gave a signal to the
backstop, and then sent in an outcurve, which the batter swung at in
vain. Then he sent in a straight ball, following this by another
outcurve, and almost before he knew it the batter was struck out.

"Hurrah!" came from Spouter Powell. "That's the way to do it! Two men
out! Now for the third man!"

The Longley player to come up was one of their best batsmen, and Jack
realized that to give him anything like a good ball to hit would be
fatal, so he fed the man nothing but those which were high and wide. As
a consequence the fellow had two strikes called on him and four balls,
and took his base, moving Flanders to second.

"Hurrah! Three men on base!" was the Longley yell. "Now, then, Simmons,
bring 'em all in!"

Simmons came forward with a do-or-die expression on his face. He had one
strike called