"Make him give you what you want, Walter!" cried a friend.
Again the ball was delivered and around came Walter's bat to meet it.
"Strike one!"
"That's the way to do it, Si! Strike him out!" cried a friend of the Excelsiors' pitcher.
Once more the ball was delivered. It was just right for Walter and he gave it a rap that sent it high up over the pitcher's head. But the Excelsior's second baseman was on the alert and caught the ball as it came down close to him.
"The first victim!" shouted a boy. "That's the way to do it! Treat the others the same way!"
"Don't crow so early in the game," answered a Lakeport sympathizer, in disgust.
Bart was the second player to the bat. He had a strike and two balls called on him and then sent a short liner to third. It was quickly gobbled up and sent to first while he was still ten feet from the bag.
"Victim number two!" called out somebody. "What did I tell you?"
Bart was followed by Fred who, after knocking two fouls, managed to get to first on a fumble by the second baseman. But before Fred could get to second the next man at the bat, Matt Roscoe, went out on a short hit direct into the pitcher's hands.