Bruce groaned, for he was anxious to hit. Merry, however, had found that any one who waited stood a good show of getting a base off Potter, who had grown wild as the game advanced.
Browning went up to the plate, and two strikes were called on him without delay. Then he looked at Merry for permission to hit, but Frank grimly shook his head.
The next one looked close, but the umpire called it a ball. Then Potter tried an out, but that was a ball. A high one followed, and three balls had been called.
Now Bruce expected a straight one over the center, and again he besought permission to hit it out. Again Frank shook his head.
Potter tried to put one right over, but he failed, and the umpire called four balls.
“Oh, Laura!” squealed Jack Ready, as he waltzed down to the coaching-line by first. “Here is where we win the bun!”
“Make him get them right over,” said Frank, as Swiftwing picked out a bat. “Don’t go after high ones.”
The young Indian was cool enough when he walked up to the plate, and he smashed the second one toward first, but just inside the line.
The first baseman got the ball while Browning was racing for second. Fortunately, Bruce had a big start. As it was, he would not have reached second had not the baseman dropped the ball thrown by Prince after putting Swiftwing out at first. But Bruce was safe on second, and one man was out.
Frank knew Rattleton stood little show of getting a hit, and so he said: