A GAME AND A PLOT.
The second game with the Excelsiors, for the championship of Lakeport, was now close at hand, and for several days the boys of the town talked of nothing else. As before, opinions were about evenly divided as to which club would win.
In place of Sidney Yates, Si Voup had obtained a player of more than ordinary excellence, a boy named Kyle Fenton, who had lately moved to Lakeport. Kyle was a fine batter and a splendid runner and Voup counted on him to help the score a great deal.
The game brought forth a crowd fully equal to that which had witnessed the first contest. As previously agreed, it was played on the Lakeports' grounds and our young friends did all they could to make the spot attractive. They had erected a flagpole and from this Old Glory flapped bravely to the breeze, and the grand stand was likewise decorated with flags.
The umpire on this occasion was an old player named Cameron. Although Joe and his fellow members did not know it, Cameron was a personal friend to Mr. Voup and bent on favoring Si and his club all he could. This was a handicap which cost the Lakeports dearly.
The first two innings of the game were quickly over, with the score 1 to 0, in favor of the Excelsiors. The third inning brought a "goose egg" for each club and the next inning did likewise.
"This is certainly a close game," said more than one.
"Looks now as if the Lakeports were going to be whitewashed."
"Well, the game is young yet."
As sometimes happens, things "broke loose" in the fifth and sixth innings and the latter left the score, Excelsiors 6, Lakeports 4. In the sixth inning Paul Shale scored a home run and Joe a three-base hit, both of which performances brought forth a wild storm of applause. In this inning the Excelsiors were given two runs by such a close decision that Joe at once entered a protest and was backed up by Link, Fred and some others.