“I—I didn’t know it was shining in his eyes,” stammered Langridge. “Let go of me, Henderson, or I’ll make you!”
Sid did not want to make a scene, and released his hold of Langridge. Tom, by a motion, signalled to Sid to say nothing more, but it was principally on the score of not wanting to further subject Miss Harrison to embarrassment, rather than to save Langridge from punishment. Then, too, there was only slim proof against Langridge. Sid grabbed the mirror away from the bully, and the latter dared not protest. There were some hisses, and Miss Harrison blushed painfully. Langridge tried to brazen it out, but, with a muttered excuse that he wanted to get a cigar, he left the stand, and the blue-eyed girl, after a frightened glance around, went and sat with Ruth and Madge. Sid looked as if he wanted to follow her, but he did not dare, and after Tom, Ed Kerr and Mr. Leighton had consulted together for a few minutes, it was agreed to take no action against Langridge, who had sneaked off.
“He did it, all right,” decided Tom. “He wanted to rattle Pete and make us lose to Fairview, but we’re not going to do it.”
“Indeed not,” asserted the coach. “Hold ’em down now, Tom. One run will do the trick.”
There were two men on bases, and none out when Ed Felton resumed his place at home, and Tom was inclined to shiver when he remembered what Ed had done to the ball before. But the pitcher took a strong brace, and struck out Ed, much to that worthy’s surprise.
Then, by some magnificent pitching, in the face of long odds, Tom retired Puder and Lem Sellig with an ease that he himself marveled at. His arm seemed to have gotten back some of its cunning.
A zero went up in the tenth frame for Fairview.
“That looks good to me!” cried Holly Cross, dancing about. “If we can’t get in one run now, Tom, we ought to be put out of the league.”
“Well, it’s up to you, Holly,” remarked Tom. “You’re up first.”
“By Jove, you’ll not be ashamed of me!” declared the big center fielder.