Dan Dalzell gauged the flight of that ball better than anyone else on the diamond. He side-stepped like a flash, falling back a couple of paces. Then pulling the leather down out of the air, he leaped back to first. He was holding the ball in his left hand when Prendergast, breathing fast, hopped at the bag.
"Runner out!" called Umpire Foley. Prendergast stamped back, with a look of huge disgust. And now Gridley came in at the bat.
"It's no use! We're whipped!" That was the comment everywhere as Gridley came in from the field prepared for a last effort.
Gridley's first and second men went bad—-the first struck out, and the second knocked a foul bit that was caught.
"Greg, you've got to go to bat next," whispered Dick to Holmes, just a moment before. "Oh, don't you strike out. Hit something drive it somewhere. Remember Gridley can't and won't lose! Get the Gridley spirit soaked into you instanter. Chase that leather somewhere!"
Gardiner's pitcher, his face beaming, faced Holmes, whom he did not regard as one of the team's heavyweights in batting skill. Visiting fans were rising, preparing to leave the stand.
"Strike one!"
"There he goes!"
"Strike two!"
"It's all over."