“And then the way he threw it without getting up!” laughed Doris. “Oh, Hal! I am proud of you!”

“I wish we had Bessie here,” said Zona. “We’d show her to-day!”

Fardale came in to the bench, and Dick walked at Hal’s side.

“That was one of the finest stops I ever saw, Darrell,” he said.

“Thank you,” answered Hal. “I was afraid I couldn’t get it.”

“And I never had an idea you could touch it; but you did, and that double play was a fancy one.”

At first Don Roberts had seemed too astounded to say anything; but now, as he took his position on the field, he cried:

“That’s all right, fellows! They can’t have that rabbit’s-foot luck all through the game. Just get right after them now!”

Jack Ware threw a few swift ones to Anson to limber up his arm. As Black reached the plate and took his position, Ware whirled and delivered the ball.

It was a swift, high one, and Barron did his best to meet it, but failed.