Then came another surprise, for the ball started with an in curve that caused the batter to get back from the plate, but it changed to an out and passed over the plate fairly.
“Strike two!” declared the umpire.
A great shout went up from the grand stand, where many persons were excitedly telling each other that the ball had curved both ways.
The catcher had managed to stop the second one, although it fell from his mitt, but he was bewildered.
The batter started to kick, but the umpire quickly closed him up.
“A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!” laughed the jay. “Tole you folks I hed somethin’ hot up my sleeve. Don’t believe you ever seen northin’ like that afore.”
“A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!” roared his friend on the bleachers. “Now, you’re mum-mum-mum-making mum-mum-mum-monkeys of ’em, old mum-mum-mum-man!”
“Mum’s the word, Joe,” returned the pitcher. “Ain’t this the greatest fun you ever seen?”
“Bub-bub-bub-better’n a circus,” declared the chap on the bleachers.
The batter was angry and bewildered. He was looking for another of those peculiar twisting balls, and, as a result, he fanned out when the jay put the next one over the inside corner of the plate.