“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, stepping forward a bit, “it’s a shame anything like this should happen, but we jest had to do it. Don’t you be scared any more. It’s all over. There won’t be any more trouble this afternoon. This game will go on all right, and it’ll be on the level, too. Jest settle down and watch the best team win.”
After that the game did go on in a regular manner, and the spectators were thoroughly respectful in their behavior. Whenever a Maplewood player did an unusually clever piece of work McLane and the stonecutters led the cheering for him.
The leaders of the hoodlums did not dare return to the field, and the most of those who belonged in Rockford got away on the first trolley car after they were driven off the ball ground.
It was a thoroughly exciting game and particularly interesting because of the fact that Bold was compelled to retire from the box and Jack Cole filled his place. When Jack succeeded in striking out two batters in the first inning he pitched and led the third man to lift an easy foul that dropped into the hands of Billy Bradley, John Cole nearly yelled himself black in the face.
“That’s my Jack!” he shrieked, waving his old hat in the air and dancing around. “That’s the boy Benton Hammerswell chucked off his team! Jest you watch him now and see what he can do pitching when he has good support! He’ll show you something!”
Jack could not complain of his support. From the very first it was gilt-edged. Occasionally he was batted hard, but the fielding behind him held the enemy in check.
Still, as the game progressed and Maplewood held a fair lead, it seemed that the trickery and ruffianism at the beginning had accomplished Hammerswell’s dishonest design.
In the eighth inning, however, by a bunching of hits, the islanders drew close to Maplewood. When they were retired they were only one score behind the home team, Maplewood having made seven runs and Fairhaven six.
Cole seemed to rise to the occasion. Again his pitching was of the highest order, and not a Maplewood man reached first.
In the first of the ninth inning Fairhaven succeeded in getting one man round the bases and tying the score.