Horace swung at the first ball, and missed. The visitors had brought an umpire, and he grinned as he called the strike.
"Oh, Horrors!" groaned Kirby, picking himself up to look for a bat he liked.
A moment later Horace surprised nearly everybody by laying down a pretty bunt, and beating the throw to first. At the same time, having caught a signal from Rex, Midkiff scampered safely to third. This was like real baseball, and the Blackporters did not laugh.
"Now, Mr. Kirby," said Rex, "you have a lovely opportunity to show us that your middle name is Home Run. Rise to the occasion, and we'll have a nice little lead."
Kirby glanced at Midkiff and scowled. Then his gaze sought Horace. He knew very well the black-eyed chap's style of base-running. Already Horace was bothering the big pitcher for the visiting nine by taking a lead toward second. To "play the game," it devolved on Kirby to give Pence a chance to steal. Instead of that, however, he swung at the first ball pitched to him, and hit it hard and fair.
"A bird!" yelled Peewee from the coaching line.
"Some crack, but poor baseball," muttered Rex.
Kirby couldn't make the plate, but he reached third, and the Storm Island nine was one run to the good.
Now Kirby would have been reprimanded by most coachers for failing to give the runner on first a chance to try a steal, but Kingdon remained silent.
Hicks chattered like a monkey, telling Kirby he was a wonder or else the pitcher was easy.