Bold was the next batter, and he took a signal from Dick, which led him to bunt the second ball pitched by Raymer. He cleverly sent it slowly rolling along the ground just inside the first-base line.
On this bunt Gardner easily took third, while Bold was thrown out at first. Earl crossed third base as if contemplating dashing home, and the ball was sent across to Lumley by Hunston. This forced Gardner to dive back to the bag: but he was off again in a twinkling as he saw the throw was a bad one.
Lumley jumped for the ball, thrust out his left hand, but barely touched it with his fingers.
Then Gardner raced home with the first run for Fairhaven.
“That’s the right spirit,” assured Dick, patting Earl on the back. “They spoiled your homer with a trick, but you led Hunston into a bad throw and scored just the same. I want you to look for that ball out there in left field. I think you will find it close to the fence.”
“I wondered how he got it so soon and threw it in,” said Earl.
This beginning by the visitors seemed to enrage the crowd of hoodlums. As Bradley strode out to hit they whooped and yelled at him as loudly as possible. Some of them made references to his personal appearance, and two or three called him foul names.
Again Dick started up and made a signal to the umpire.
There was a lull, and he was heard demanding that something should be done to stop the rowdyism.
“Where is Mr. Hammerswell?” cried the umpire, looking around for the Maplewood manager.