“That will do, both of you!” said Dick sharply. “No one was to blame for that run. And no man in Gardner’s place could have touched the ball.”
At this Chester suddenly shut up, although he continued to feel angered because the run had been made.
“We still have a good lead,” said Dick. “Get into it, fellows, and hold them down! Perhaps you can add a few tallies right here!”
The cadets had not lost their confidence, and by a combination of good work and good luck they also landed a man on third with only one out.
By this time Factor was nervous. He had not anticipated this sort of a game, and he realized that his reputation with his own team depended on his success in the present contest. Fully aware that he was regarded as the weakest pitcher the Great Northern had, and that he had been used against the schoolboys because Grace did not wish to wear out a better man, he saw before him the prospect of release in case Fardale should win.
The cheering and singing of the cadets seemed once more to put vigor and determination into the players, and they went after Factor hotly. The next batter happened to be Singleton, and big Bob got in one of his wonderful long drives to the fence, on which he took three bags and sent a man ahead of him home.
Factor’s nervousness increased.
“What’s the matter with you, Bill?” growled Tom Grace. “Are you going to let those kids blanket you? You claim to be a pitcher!”
Factor set his teeth, determined to end it right there.
Once more Obediah Tubbs managed to get hit by the ball, and this added to the unsteadiness of the visiting pitcher. Then came Buckhart, who smashed the leather a fierce one, scoring Singleton and landing Tubbs on third, while he himself took second.