“He can’t touch it!” was the cry.
Indeed, it looked impossible for the long-legged youth to get anywhere near the ball, but he was covering ground at great speed, and he did not slacken a bit.
It required good judgment in such a case, and Gamp displayed it, for he ran like a deer until he fancied the ball must be coming down, when he turned his head and saw it sailing earthward above him.
Just as the ball was falling Joe made a great leap into the air and clutched it. Down he went, turning completely over, but he came up immediately, holding the ball in his hand.
The decision of the umpire could not be heard, for the uproar that came from the spectators was the greatest yet heard on the ground that day.
Never had a fielder in Philadelphia made such an astonishing catch, and the crowd went wild with admiration.
Joiler ran all the way round the bases, and then would not believe it when he was told the ball had been caught and he was out. He swore Gamp must have had another ball, for he felt certain the right ball had passed over Joe’s head at least twenty feet.