But Chot Duncan was in too good form to allow the Cleverdale boys anything he did not see fit to, and he retired Cotton, Gregg and Biddle in one two three order, striking out Gregg and causing Cotton and Biddle to knock little grounders that were easily handled.
Chot led off for Winton in the last of the fourth. He knocked a pretty single, but succeeded only in reaching first that inning, for Jones flied out to Cotton, Day went out on a little fly to Nibbins and Lorrens struck out.
“What’s the use?” queried Fleet, as he went out to his position in the first of the fifth. “Too hot to play baseball. I’d rather lie down under that old oak again. It’s hard to keep awake out here.”
But he was awakened in a manner that put him on his mettle a moment later, for Corker struck the first ball Chot offered him and sent it on a bee line for the Creighton first baseman. Fleet had hardly been prepared for such a swift one, and he was late in jumping into the air, with the result that the ball touched his fingers, bounded off and went shooting down the right foul line. Jones chased it, but was unable to keep Corker from taking second.
Then Chot issued a pass to Strange, who grinned as he trotted down to first.
Burton did not look dangerous, but he bunted unexpectedly and Day, who tried to field the ball, fumbled it until it was too late for a throw. The bases were full with no one out.
“Watch them now, boys,” cried Captain Biddle. “We know the tricks of the Creighton battery, and they’ll never be able to work us again. Here’s where we start to even things.”
Which shows that they did not know the reputation of the Winton boys, and when Bert Creighton saw Tom deliberately wink at Chot, he knew that his chums had something up their sleeves and he waited in anxious expectancy to see just what it was.
CHAPTER VIII—THE GAME END
“The bases full and no one out!”