Morgan stepped into the box with two out and three on bases. Unfortunately for House, it was Kid’s turn at bat. Had there been any one to take his place Ben would have pulled Kid out of the game then and there, but there wasn’t, and so Kid was told to seem eager to hit but to offer at nothing. Ben, knowing Morgan to be cold, trusted that he would be unable to put three strikes over. But although Kid looked anxiously for that secret signal that was to give him a hit he didn’t see it. And a moment later he was trotting dejectedly out to the field, disposed of with four pitched balls.
Day filled the bases in the seventh with one out, the out being Morgan. Briggs banged the ball to Crandall and Crandall dropped it long enough to let Day add her sixth run and for Briggs to reach first in safety. Grimshaw went out on a long fly and another tally came over. Then, to the immense relief of House, Spooner hit a liner to Waters, who knocked it down and threw it to first for the third out.
But House was beaten. There could be no doubt of that. The score was 7 to 2 and only three innings remained for House. With Morgan pitching his customary good game it was very doubtful whether House could score once, to say nothing of five times! But Ben declared that it was the lucky seventh and House supporters took up the cry and shouted encouragingly as Waters tapped the plate with his bat. Morgan seemed a little slower than usual to-day. Ben, watching intently from the bench, was puzzled. Usually “Toots” sent in his deliveries almost as fast as White could get the ball back to him. But this afternoon there was an appreciable delay each time. “Toots” took longer for his “wind-up” and when the ball left his hand it appeared to lack its usual snap. Ben wondered whether it was possible that Morgan was a little off-color. He called Lanny, who was waiting to bat, and whispered to him. Lanny nodded doubtfully. At that instant there was a sharp crack and Waters was speeding to first. But the ball was only a long fly and the Day Team’s center fielder got under it after a hard race and pulled it down. Lanny was fooled twice on what “Toots” called his “fade-away” and then slammed a hit past second baseman. Perkins went to bat and Lanny immediately took what looked like a dangerous lead off first. Morgan turned and watched him a second, threw the ball across half-heartedly and then paid no more attention to the runner. On the second ball Perkins swung, and Lanny sped to second. House howled gleefully. Then a pop fly to third baseman turned Perkins away and made it two out. Pierce, however, got a lift by reason of second baseman’s error, and Lanny went to third and might have scored in the subsequent confusion. But with Steve Lovell up a run still looked likely and House clamored for it. The best Steve could do, however, was to get a pass to first. And then, with the bases full, Cupples trickled an easy grounder to third baseman and the latter had only to step back and tag the bag with his foot for the final out of the inning.
Day added still another run to her swelling score in the first of the eighth, a base hit, an error by Crandall and a wild pitch by Waters contributing.
House was losing hope. Day had a lead of six runs now. Crandall went out promptly, third baseman to first. Gardner drove a long screecher into right field and only a hair-raising one-handed catch by Briggs stopped him. Then, with two out, Kid again came to the sacrifice. Kid had lost all hope of getting that hit by now. It seemed to be his part to stand at the plate and let the opposing pitcher toy with him! But he squared himself bravely enough, swung his bat knowingly and seemed to dare Morgan to do his worst. It seemed that Morgan was going to do it too, for his first ball was high and wide and his next one hit the plate. The coachers, thinking he was faltering, began to dance and shout. Kid waited for the next delivery, hoping that it would be another ball. Perhaps, at least, he was to win the honor of reaching first on a pass! But what was this? Why was “Toots” fingering his cap? The catcher had given the signal. What—then Kid suddenly realized that “Toots” had not forgotten his promise, after all, that he was going to pitch a straight and easy one so that Kid might make a hit! Kid seized the bat firmly, his heart thumping, and waited while Morgan lazily wound up and then shot his hand forward. Straight and true came the ball. Kid watched it breathlessly. Was it going to break? But no, there was no “stuff” on that ball. It came right over the center of the plate a foot above Kid’s knees, and Kid’s bat took it squarely on the trade-mark.
Bang!
Kid dropped his bat and scurried for first. Over second baseman’s head went the ball. Kid swung around first and headed for second. The coachers were shouting unintelligible things to him as he ran. Out between center field and right O’Connell and Briggs were racing. Kid reached second and turned to look. What had happened? Two fielders were scurrying along with their backs to him. From somewhere came the insistent cry: “Come on, Kid! Come on! Take third!” Kid started again, his small legs twinkling above the dust. Out in deep field Briggs was throwing the ball to second baseman. At third Steve Lovell, shouting and waving, sent Kid toward home. His heart was pounding against his ribs like a sledge-hammer as he made for the plate where White, with outstretched hands and anxious, puckered face, awaited the ball. Somehow, without seeing, Kid knew that the ball was coming. He was still a dozen feet away from the plate. Twenty voices were crying to him to slide, but Kid didn’t hear them. He did slide, but he did it instinctively. Kid struck the plate at the instant the ball landed in the catcher’s mitten. And although White swung for him frantically, Kid was safe. He had made a home run!
They picked him up from between White’s legs and thumped him on the back and yelled hoarsely in triumph. Kid, rescuing his cap, grinned toward where “Toots,” hands on hips and his face eloquent of surprise and chagrin, was standing. Then in a voice that easily carried to “Toots” Kid observed carelessly: “He isn’t hard to hit!”
After that it should have been all over, but to-day the unexpected happened. “Toots,” still dazed, as it seemed, passed Waters in spite of that youth’s attempt to hit, bounded the ball off Lanny’s knee and then, with first and second bases occupied, let Perkins drive out a clean-cut hit! Waters romped home, Lanny went to second and House became frantic. How the coachers yelled! For that matter how every one yelled! “Toots” was going fast. He was plainly in distress. Stanley Pierce smashed out a two bagger, scoring Lanny and sending Perkins to third. Lovell drew a pass, Cupples singled, Crandall doubled, Gardner reached his base on an error by shortstop, and Kid came again to the bat.
The score was tied at 8 to 8 and the bases were filled. House yelled for another “homer.” Kid, outwardly calm and assured but inwardly trembling, again faced “Toots.” “Toots” observed him puzzledly. The first delivery was wild and White barely stopped it from getting by him. Kid grinned and, raising one hand to his cap, wiggled his fingers! Morgan looked and faltered. Two balls! White hurried down to talk it over. They whispered together. White thumped “Toots” encouragingly on the back. “Toots” nodded and braced his shoulders. But Kid saw the look of distress that flitted across the pitcher’s face, and he grinned cruelly. Again he wiggled his fingers, while the audience shouted excitedly or held their breath in suspense. “Three balls!” cried Mr. Crane. Bedlam was let loose then! Ben jumped from the bench and executed a Highland fling and threw handfuls of grass in the air. Behind first Perkins did a hand-spring. Turner ran over to “Toots” and pleaded with him. “Toots” was seen to place a hand on the region of his stomach and shake his head. “Play ball!” shrieked House. Turner talked and talked and “Toots” nodded dispiritedly and faced his fate. The ball sped forward, Kid let it pass and dropped his bat. But, “Strike one!” cried Mr. Crane.