“Pitch the ball! pitch the ball!” cried Roberts, who had observed the rising cloud and feared the shower would break before five innings had been played. “Make him pitch the ball, Mr. Umpire!”
When Dick did pitch the ball Dustan started for second, Crockett having reached third.
Unhesitatingly Buckhart lined the sphere down to Tubbs.
Crockett jumped off third, as if determined to make a dash for the home plate.
Tubbs did not wait for Dustan, who had paused, but returned the ball to Buckhart.
Crockett had whirled and plunged back toward third.
Dustan reached second.
Seeing this, Buckhart snapped the ball to Bradley, who put it onto Crockett, but the umpire declared the man safe.
“There you are!” laughed Roberts. “That was all right, boys!”
There was a muttering of thunder in the west.