“Whoop!” yelled Dan McCarthy. “Look there!”
Nippen had turned abruptly. The ball was seen to fall squarely into his glove—and stick! A wild roar rose from the crowd, then it died away into a groan, as the base umpire motioned Ironton to hold third.
“What does this mean?” exclaimed Frank, walking back. “That ball was caught!”
“Outside the fence,” said the umpire. “That gap shouldn’t be there by rights. It went over the fence, and Ironton is entitled to his three-bagger.”
“By gum!” yelled McCarthy wrathfully. “What kind of——”
“Quiet!” snapped Frank.
He turned and waved back his angry players, who were crowding forward.
“That’s a mighty queer decision,” he said, forcing himself to calmness. “Does it go for every ball that drops outside the fence?”
“Yes,” said the umpire.
Frank saw that the umpire regretted his hasty decision, but would not change it.