“All right,” said Hodge.
Ready had chosen a bat.
“I’m going to drive the first one over Old Baldy,” he said, with a motion toward the distant mountains. But he walked up to the plate and proceeded to strike out on the first three balls pitched.
“Speed!” he said, as he came back to the bench. “Whew! That fellow’s got it! They didn’t look larger than peas as they came over.”
Carson went out and fouled twice, getting strikes called on him. Then he drove a short one to the pitcher and was thrown out.
“See if you can’t start the ball rolling, Bruce,” urged Merry.
Browning, however, did not seem much more than half-awake, and he, too, fell before the speed and sharp curves of Park, making the third man.
Favor took his place at the plate, and Merry faced him in the box. Frank gave the fellow a high one to start with, but Favor was confident and hit it safely past Ready.
“Four hits!” counted Elrich exultantly. “One more gives me a thousand.”
Before the ball could be fielded in Favor had reached second and was safe.