most in despair Ken
threw again, and Horton smote the ball with a solid rap. It was a low
bounder. Raymond pitched forward full length toward first base and the
ball struck in his glove with a crack, and stuck there. Raymond got up
and tossed it to McCord. A thunder of applause greeted this star play
of the game.

The relief was so great that Ken fairly tottered as he went in to the
bench. Worry did not look at him. He scarcely heard what the boys said;
he felt them patting him on the back. Then to his amaze, and slowly
mounting certainty of disaster, the side was out, and it was again his
turn to pitch.

"Only three more, Peg! The tail end of the batting list. _Hang on!_"
said Reddy, as he trotted out.

Ken's old speed and control momentarily came back to him. Yet he felt
he pitched rather by instinct than intent. He struck Griffith out.

"Only two more, Peg!" called Reddy.

The great audience sat in depressed, straining silence. Long since the
few Wayne rooters had lost their vocal powers.

Conroy hit a high fly to McCord.

"Oh, Peg, _only one more!_" came the thrilling cry. No other Wayne
player could speak a word then.

With Salisbury up, Ken had a momentary flash of his old spirit and he
sent a straight ball over the plate, meaning it to be hit. Salisbury
did hit it, and safely, through short. The long silent, long waiting
crowd opened up with yells and stamping feet.

A horrible, cold, deadly sickness seized upon Ken as he faced the fleet,
sure-hitting Keene. He lost his speed, he lost his control. Before he
knew what had happened he had given Keene a base on balls. Two on bases
and two out!

The Place players began to leap and fling up their arms and scream. When
out of their midst Prince ran to the plate a piercing, ear-splitting
sound pealed up from the stands. As in a haze Ken saw the long lines of
white-sleeved students become violently agitated and move up and down
to strange, crashing yells.

Then Ken Ward knew. That was the famed Place cheer for victory at the
last stand. It was the trumpet-call of Ken's ordeal. His mind was as
full of flashes of thought as there were streaks and blurs before his
eyes. He understood Worry now. He knew now what was wrong with him, what
had been coming all through that terrible game. The whole line of stands
and bleachers wavered before him, and the bright colors blended in one
mottled band.

Still it was in him to fight to the last gasp. The pain in his brea