“Oh, I think I can.”
It did not take Tommy long to get to the Bashford meadow.
“Say, that will be fine!” he exclaimed to himself. “If we can only get money enough to put up a back-stop, and buy some more bats and balls, we’ll have a dandy baseball nine. Guess I’ll go over in the field and see where would be a good place for home plate. Mr. Bashford won’t mind, I think,” for he had not yet seen the owner of the lot.
Tommy was pacing about in the big field, trying to decide which would be the best way to lay out the diamond, when he heard a scream behind him—a scream in a girl’s shrill voice.
Turning quickly, he saw a big black bull, that had evidently leaped over the fence of an adjoining field, rushing toward a small girl wearing a red dress. She stood still, close to the fence.
“He’ll horn her, sure!” gasped Tommy, as the girl screamed again. The bull let out a bellow of rage and came on faster than before.
“I’ve got to do something!” decided Tommy, quickly. Then he saw where there were several loose rails of the fence. He ran over, grabbed up one of the lightest of the sticks, and then raced to get between the bull and the little girl. She was too frightened to run, and stood there, crying and screaming, awaiting the rush of the maddened animal, who was snorting and bellowing, made frenzied by the sight of the scarlet cloth of her dress.
Heels Over Head Went the Maddened Animal.
“Run! Run!” cried Tommy. “Don’t stand there! Run and crawl under the fence!”