"Strike three! Out!"
With a muttered growl of disgust, Captain Martin gave up his post to Percival.
"What has got into Prescott?" demanded Rodgers, of the Norths, anxiously.
"Oh, we'll pound him to pieces soon," muttered Hi.
"Strike one!" sounded the umpire's steady, low voice.
In a moment or two more it was: "Strike three. Out!"
Then a third batsman took post. Dick Prescott, his face now flushed with pleasure, not humiliation, and his eyes flashing battle, put the third man out for the Norths.
Yet, though the Central Grammars put two of their men on bases, they, too, went back to grass ere a run could be scored.
The fifth inning was almost a duplicate of the fourth; no ground gained. In the sixth, after having two men struck out, the Norths took two base hits away from Prescott, and had men on first and second. In an unwary moment for the Centrals the man at second made third just ahead of the ball.
"We'll have a third run in a moment, if our boys keep their heads," murmured Hi Martin confidently. "That will keep us at three to nothing."