Frank saw that the throw would be useless, as Corrigan was already too near the bag, and he shouted for Ready to hold the ball.
Ready could not stop the swing of his arm, but he held on to the ball long enough to throw it down at his feet, and it bounded merrily away.
“Score!” yelled a coacher, and Jack made a jump off third to go home.
The spectators rose up and whooped madly once more.
Frank made a leap and got in front of the ball, which he succeeded in stopping. Fortunately for him, Jack saw this soon enough to dive back to third.
Merry recovered and drew back his hand to throw to third, but instantly decided that it would be useless, knowing that a team often goes to pieces and loses a game in a single inning by getting to throwing the ball round in a hasty and reckless manner, so he held the sphere.
But the bases were full and but one man was out. Something told Frank that he was in a bad box. Still, he set his teeth and resolved to “pull out” if it were possible.
The coachers were talking from both sides of the diamond, and the excited crowd had not stopped its roaring.
Hodge was pale, and there was a fierce gleam in his eyes.