There was a knot of players at third, and one of them must have the ball. Another was on the ground—— Why, it was Brick Ryan! Dirk had forgotten all about Brick; but there he was, with one arm stretched out, just touching the bag. Another boy, a Shawnee baseman, was crouched at his side, while above them stood a man who, as Dirk watched, shouted “Safe!” It was the field umpire.
Remorse showered on Dirk like a torrent. Brick had made it, but only because he was a top-notch player; while he, Dirk, had been to blame for the worst fool stunt in his baseball career. He could feel Lefty Reardon’s despairing eye on him, and could imagine what the captain was thinking. “Grandstand stuff again!” Van Horn, thinking only of himself and his own glory, had made a two-bagger, but had forced Ryan into a tight fix at third; it was only a matter of an instant’s decision that had saved the Lenape team from missing their big chance to score.
For half a minute, Dirk was rattled. The knot at third base broke up; the boys resumed their places, and Brick, grinning, rose and dusted his trousers while keeping an eye on Bollard, who strolled back into the box. The Shawnee team was now on the defensive; the pitcher had two men to watch, and Megaro was up—Megaro, the heaviest slugger on the Lenape side.
“I won’t quit!” Dirk swore under his breath. “It was a fool trick—but I’ve got to play it through!” He took his eyes from Reardon, at the bench, and watched the pitcher. Bollard put across two wild throws, and Megaro tipped a foul. Dirk took a wary lead, and Brick Ryan did the same.
A roar from two hundred throats sounded from the watching crowd. Crack! When the dust lifted, Megaro was safe at first; Brick Ryan was clear of home plate and Dirk Van Horn stretched over that same plate with the umpire’s cry in his ears: “Safe by a mile!” He had slid for the tying run almost on Ryan’s heels.
But there was no joy for Dirk in the rousing applause of the watchers. From the tail of his eye, he saw Lefty approaching, and knew what was coming.
“All right, Captain,” he said humbly; “you can take me out now.”
Brick Ryan put in a word. “Let him alone, Lefty! You know those things happen.”
“Never mind, Brick,” snapped Reardon. “It was only luck you got out of it, and I already warned him. He’s done. Tompkins will play left field for the rest of this game.”
“Aw, don’t you see he cleared himself? We made two runs, and that ought to make you happier, Lefty. Gollies sakes, it’s all in a ball game——”