"Go on in, Prissy!" he yelled, waving him toward home. "Come on, Bunny! Come on!"
Prissler crossed the plate standing up. Bunny, close behind, flung himself toward the white rubber in a headlong slide. It was nip and tuck between ball and runner, but the latter beat the throw by inches.
"—safe!" came the tag of the umpire's decision. At the word, Prissler experienced an irresistible desire to turn a somersault; and did it, moreover, to the profound amazement of the Lakeville team, which had never seen him so undignified before.
But it was excusable. Not only had the Lakeville boys tied the score, but they were now leading by one run.
After the decision, the Belden catcher straightened up, with the ball resting in his big glove. He wrapped the fingers of his right hand about it, and drew back his arm for the throw to his pitcher. Then, as if changing his mind, he shot it to the third baseman, who caught it and stamped a decisive foot upon the sack.
The umpire shook his head. Prissler, watching the pantomime, wrinkled his brow. He wondered what it all meant.
"But I tell you he didn't," the third baseman said angrily. "That first runner didn't touch the bag at all. He cut across 'way out there."
Again the umpire shook his head.
Now Prissler began to understand. They were claiming he had failed to touch third before starting for home. He tried to remember. He had been running from second, toward Specs, who had waved him to keep on. He had answered the signal by turning in the direction of the plate and—
"He is right," Prissler told the umpire suddenly. "I did cut across the corner of the diamond without touching third."