“Never again as long as I tread this terrestrial sphere shall I trust human nature,” he declared, ambling toward the bench. “I have been basely betrayed. But wait—my revenge is yet to come, and it shall be deep and terrible.”
O’Neill longed to make a safe hit, but he was another of the batters that Merry fanned easily.
Then came Creel, and he bunted.
Again Ready got the ball in time to throw the man out, but once more he made a poor throw.
Browning was dragged off the base, and Creel reached it in safety.
Instantly Wiley appeared on the coaching line and opened up merrily.
He gave Creel the signal to try to steal second.
“May as well take chances,” he muttered. “We’ll never get a score any other way.”
So the runner attempted a steal on the first ball Frank pitched to Marcey.
The ball came whistling into the hands of Hodge. Bart seemed to pause a moment and watch Creel on his way to second. Then he made a throw that sent the ball down on a dead line and straight into the hands of Rattleton, who was waiting.