Sides were changing for the last half of the ninth inning.
Gridley had taken seven runs. Wayland High School, with six runs already to their credit, was now going to bat for the last inning unless the score should be tied.
The perfect June day, just before commencement, had brought out a host. Wayland had sent nearly four hundred people. The total attendance was past four thousand paid admissions.
Herr Schimmelpodt, who, since his first enthusiasm, had not missed a game, was now among the most concerned.
The band was there, but silent. The leader knew that, in this state of affairs the spectators wanted to make the noise themselves.
"Oh, you Dick!"
"Strike 'em out as fast as they come up."
"Save Gridley!"
"Aw, let somebody have a game," roared a voice from the Wayland seats, "and we need this one!"
"Prescott, remember the record!"