“Hold on!” cried Ward Gerard quickly. “You are out of your turn, Luke.”
“How’s that?” indignantly demanded the school captain.
“George Bland is up next, according to the batting order you gave me.”
“Well, we’ve changed the batting order,” put in Hiram quickly.
The truth of the matter was that George was not a very good hitter, while Luke was, and both the latter and the manager had seen the necessity of making at least one run the first inning in order to inspire confidence in the school team. They had hoped to change the batting order unobserved, and bring up a good hitter when he was most needed. But the scrub captain had been too sharp for them.
“Changed the batting order, eh?” asked Ward. “You can’t do it now under the rules.”
“Oh, well, we ain’t playing strictly according to rules yet,” said Luke weakly. “I’m going to bat, anyhow. You can change your batting order if you like.”
“We don’t have to,” responded Ward. “But go ahead, we’ll allow it.”
“Thanks—for nothing!” exclaimed Hiram sarcastically, and Luke held his place at home plate.
The situation was now rather tense. There were two men out, a man was on third and the captain of the school team himself was at bat. It was up to Luke to bring in his man and save his side from a goose egg in the first inning. Luke fairly glared at Joe, as if daring our hero to strike him out, and Joe was no less determined to do that feat if possible.