on't get in. You just watch me and see," answered Flanders, and
scowled more than ever.

He did tighten up a little, and as a consequence the next batter up went
out on strikes and the following player on a foul fly.

"Hurrah! Two out! Hold 'em down! Don't let 'em score!"

The next batter up was Fred. So far the youngest Rover had been unable
to get further than first.

"Oh, Fred, line it out! Please line it out!" cried May Powell, and then
she blushed furiously as a number sitting near her began to laugh.

"Don't you care, May," consoled Mary, and then she called out loudly:
"Do your best, Fred! Do your best!"

"Go in and win!" cried Martha.

There had been a tremendous racket, but now, as Fred gripped his ashen
stick and Tommy Flanders prepared to deliver the ball, a deathlike
silence came over the field. Every one of the men on the bases was
prepared to leg it at the slightest chance of being able to score.

The first ball to come in was too high, and the second too low, so Fred
let them go by. Then, however, came a straight ball just where he wanted
it, and Fred swung at it with every ounce of muscle in his body.

Crack! The report could be heard all over the grounds, and then the
sphere could be seen sailing far off into left field.

"Run, boys, run! Everybody run!"

"Leg it for all you are worth!"

"It's a three-bagger, sure!"

"No, it isn't! It's a homer! Run, boys! Run! Run! Run!"

The crowd was now on its feet yelling and cheering at the top of its
lungs and throwing caps and banners into the air, and while the left
fielder was chasing madly after the bounding ball, the three men on
bases came in one after another, followed swiftly by the panting and
blowing Rover boy.

"Hi! Hi! Hi! What do you know about that! Four runs!"

"That's the way to do it, Colby! Keep it up!"

"You've got the Longley pitcher going!" cried Spouter at the top of his
lungs. "Give us a few more home runs! They'll be easy!"

"Take Flanders out!" said one of the Academy boys in disgust. "He's
beginning to weaken."

While the din and excitement continued the Academy captain went up to
talk to the pitcher.

"Don't you think we had better make a change, Tommy?" he questioned
anxiously.

"No, I don't!" roared Flanders angrily. "That home run was a fluke,
that's all. I'll hold 'em down, you wait and see."

There were wild cries to change the pitcher on the part of the Longley
students, while the military academy cadet