Dick met it, and the ball went out for a pretty single. On first, Dick touched his cap once as Ready stood up to the plate. In return, Ready opened and closed his hands once on the handle of the bat.
Then, when the first ball was pitched, Dick went down to second with such speed that the spectators gasped. Hanson threw to stop the boy, but Dick was there a long time in advance of the ball.
“Pretty stealing!” cried Ready.
“Ugh!” grunted Old Joe. “When Injun him steal, white man say bad stealing. Heap different in baseball.”
Ready did his best to get a hit, but Batch struck him out.
Carson was anxious for a hit. In fact, he was too anxious. He swung at two that would have been balls, and two strikes were called.
Getting a good lead, Dick stole third on the next pitched ball, while Carson struck out.
Hodge was determined to bring the boy home. He picked out a pretty one and hit it hard. The ball went on a line into the hands of Dorrity, and Dick was left on third.
The spectators realized by this time that they were seeing a game of baseball that was the genuine thing.