Even that did not seem to incite Frank to put it over.
“Two balls!” called the umpire, although Frank had not again delivered the sphere to the bat.
“Ha!” shouted the crowd. “That’s the stuff!”
The second ball had been called on Merry as a penalty for delaying the game for no good reason.
A grim look came into the face of the greatest pitcher ever graduated from Yale. He did not kick at the decision of the umpire, nor did he show great haste in pitching after this.
“Call another!” cried several of the spectators. “He’s in a hole, and he knows it!”
Frank settled himself firmly on the ground, just as Bart was ready to start down to ask what was the matter. Then he sent over a high, straight one that would have been a ball had the batter let it alone.
But the batter hit it. The man with the stick happened to be Hanson, the heavy hitter of the Stars, and he tapped the ball a terrible crack.
Away sailed the sphere, going out on a line over the infield, and Hanson’s legs took him flying down to first.