That is, they went to bat technically. Clancy was the first up, and although usually a slugger, he was retired on three pitched balls. Merry took his place, with the bleachers screaming for a hit.
Green studied him a moment, then changed his position abruptly. He used something that he had hitherto held in reserve—a remarkable spit ball. Frank guessed it, but could not hit.
Again Green used the same thing, and again Merry missed it. He touched the third one for a high foul, however, that cleared the grand stand. With a new ball thrown out to him, Green deliberately put over three balls that were wide of the plate.
“Put it over!” snapped Chip. “You’re scared to put it over, Green!”
Green looked at him, and grinned tantalizingly. Then he calmly sent over the ball, ten feet wide of the plate. Frank angrily flung his bat away, and walked.
The Fardale rooters went wild, but Chip was not fooled. He knew that this was a deliberate effort to rattle him, and that Green had meant to show his contempt. This was proved when Harker was sent down on three pitched balls, though Green again held his spit ball under cover.
His curves were wonderful, and would have fooled better men than Fardale owned. Seeing that he was marooned on first, Chip made a desperate attempt, and stole second, but only got there safely because Murray dropped a terrific ball, that Olcott placed perfectly. Billy Mac immediately struck out, and the inning was over.
“That man Green is beyond anything I ever saw!” cried Coach Trayne, as Chip came in to confer with Billy. “Watch out for Craven, Merry!”
Frank nodded toward the bench. Craven was a slender, lanky fellow with a large jaw. He was chewing tobacco, and carried his bat easily.
Using his right hand once more, Merry resorted to the double shoot, refusing Billy’s agonized plea to use the jump ball. Craven fanned twice, seeming to be awkward at the plate, but on the third ball he struck too quickly, whirled, and the ball hit him between the shoulders.