The Lucky Seventh Part 36

"I guess I'm sort of crazy about her now," murmured d.i.c.k.

There was still another ceremony to be gone through with; in fact, two.

The first was performed a minute later when Morris, taking a folded sheet of paper from his pocket, walked across to the front of the grandstand, accompanied by the players, and with a neat but brief speech formally presented the deed of the athletic field to Mr. Grayson. The princ.i.p.al, however, wasn't going to miss the opportunity to indulge in eloquence, and his speech of thanks went on for quite five minutes. It was a very good speech, too, but few heard it, for the spectators out of ear-shot were clamoring for the game to begin. When he had finished and bowed and taken his seat again, there was more applause, and the ba.s.s drum boomed ecstatically and Gordon led three cheers for Mr. Brent, and at last the home team trotted on to the diamond and the visitors began pa.s.sing and warming up at one side.

By that time it was nearly the hour set for the game to begin, and almost every available spot on the field was occupied by spectators.

Four of Clearfield's modest police force were on duty in the outfield, patrolling back and forth, restraining the advance of the crowds which stretched along the continuations of the foul lines.

On the "press stand," a kitchen table and two straight-backed chairs at the end of the home team's bench, stood the silver trophy on its ebony stand. Around the base was twined the purple silk pennant with the white "C." At the "press stand" sat Mr. Potter, his straw hat tilted back on his head, a pile of yellow copy paper in front of him and a big cigar tucked in the corner of his mouth. Mr. Potter, looking proudly about the crowded field, was happy. Apparently all the pennants had been purchased, for they waved on all sides, and flashes of purple glowed everywhere in the sunlight; everywhere, that is to say, except in one small section of the main stand, where the Rutter's Point contingent, some fifty strong, waved blue-and-yellow flags and cheered for their heroes.

d.i.c.k, leaning on his crutches near first base, allowed his gaze to wander a minute from the work of his charges toward the crowded seats.

There were his mother and Grace up there, and, farther along, Mr. and Mrs. Brent and Louise-and Morris just returning to his place beside them. Strangely enough, Louise happened to be looking just as d.i.c.k glanced her way, and nodded and waved. d.i.c.k took off his hat in answer.

A second later he was bowing again, for Mrs. Townsend was waving her blue-and-yellow banner toward him.

Then, presently, the home team yielded the diamond to the visitors, and d.i.c.k went back to the bench with them. Harold was sharpening his pencils as d.i.c.k took his place beside him.

"d.i.c.k," he said, in a low voice, "I hope you win."

"Thanks, Harold! That's treachery, isn't it, though?"

Harold frowned and shook his head. "Can't help it," he muttered. "I do, anyway."

The umpires were Mr. Cochran, of the Y.M.C.A., chosen by Clearfield, and Mr. Vokes, who had officiated at the first game between the two teams, the Point's selection. The latter gentleman was on bases and Mr. Cochran umpired at the plate. At twenty minutes to three Clearfield trotted into the field to the cheers of the audience, and Gordon, taking a nice new ball from Mr. Cochran, ascended the stand to where Mr. Brent sat.

"Mr. Brent," said Gordon, "we'd like very much to have you throw out the ball to us, sir, if you don't mind."

"Throw out the ball!" exclaimed Mr. Brent. "How-how do I do it?"

"Just stand up, sir, and toss it to Tom Haley, down there."

Mr. Brent looked doubtful, but Morris and Louise urged him on, and finally he got to his feet, measured the distance anxiously, clutched the ball with a death-like grip, and hurled it toward Tom. It went a yard over his head, and was fielded by Harry Bryan near second! But that didn't matter! Everyone cheered just as hard!

CHAPTER XXIV

d.i.c.k SMILES

CLEARFIELD RUTTER'S POINT

Bryan, 2b. Billings, 3b.

Scott, 3b. Townsend, 1b.

Merrick, 1b. Chase, ss.

Wayland, l. f. House, c. f.

Tappen, r. f. Leary, 2b.

White, c. Northrop, r. f.

Robey, ss. Jensen, l. f.

Haley, p. Houghton, c.

Shaw, c. f. Mason, p.

Gordon took his position off first base, thumped fist into glove, and called cheerfully across to Tom Haley:

"First man, Tom! Let's have him!"

But Gordon wasn't nearly as cool and collected as he tried to seem. He was conscious of the crowd, and especially of the throng that stretched four and five deep along the base line but a half dozen yards away. The noise, too, was disconcerting. He didn't mind the bellowing of Jim House back of first, nor the answering shrieks of Pink Northrop behind third; but the steady hum and stir of the crowd gave him what was very much like stage fright. He almost hoped that the first hit would not come into his territory, for he was virtually sure that he would misplay it.

But Gordon wasn't the only one suffering from nervous embarra.s.sment. Tom was as wild as a hawk, and if the batsmen had not been up in the air as well Rutter's Point might have won the game then and there!

d.i.c.k, none too self-possessed himself, in spite of the fact that on the bench he was practically out of the public gaze, saw that in the outfield Way, Jack, and Fudge were each moving restlessly about, and he mentally hoped that there would be no long flies for a few minutes! The only one of the home team who seemed absolutely self-possessed and unconcerned was Lanny. Lanny, behind his mask and protector, gave his signals calmly, and called to Tom coolly and encouragingly, holding his hands over the center of the plate and inviting Tom to "put it right here!" And Tom tried his best to follow signals, and failed lamentably.

Caspar Billings went to base on b.a.l.l.s, and Gordon took the bag. Tom tried one throw across, and Gordon, to his relief, caught the ball.

While Tom had been in the act of swinging around and stepping out, Gordon had been sure that the ball would get by him. Caspar was playing it safe, however, and after Gordon threw the sphere back to Tom the latter gave his attention to the next batsman, Loring Townsend. Loring, with one strike and two b.a.l.l.s against him, reached for a low one and sent it up in the air to Pete Robey. Pete caught it, juggled it, dropped it, and then sped it to second. Caspar, who had stopped halfway down the base line, turned back to the bench.

With one out, Tom settled down a little. Loring Townsend stole on the second delivery and beat out the throw. The Point clamored for a hit, but the best Gil Chase could do was to trickle a slow bunt to Tom, who threw out the runner at first.

"Two gone!" called Gordon. "Let him hit, Tom!"

But Tom did the hitting himself, b.u.mping Jim House on the elbow with his first ball. Jim trotted to first, and Leary came to bat. Leary ought to have been easy, but he landed on the very first offering and sent a fly into short left field. Way started with the ball and got it after a hard run, and the inning was over.

"We got out of that mighty luckily," muttered Gordon, as he took his seat beside d.i.c.k. "I guess we've all got nerves."

"Well, so have the others," replied d.i.c.k. "Try to get rid of yours first, Gordie."

Harry Bryan waited and got his base. Will Scott, instructed to bunt and sacrifice, fouled two attempts, and finally went out on strikes. Gordon brought the stands to their feet by a bunt along first-base line which started well but eventually rolled into foul territory under the anxious gaze of Mason and Townsend. Then came a swipe that missed the ball by inches, then two b.a.l.l.s, and last, with two and two, a straight one that Gordon liked the looks of. He found it, all right, but it dropped into center-fielder's hands, and, with two down, Bryan was still anch.o.r.ed on first. A minute later he tried a steal, and was caught a yard away.

In the second Tom pitched better, and Northrop and Jensen fanned.

Houghton, the Point catcher, got a scratch hit, and reached the first bag but died there when Mason struck out.

Clearfield did no better in her half, Wayland, Tappen, and Lanny White going out in order, and only Jack getting a rap at the ball.

It was not until the fourth inning that things began to happen. Leary started the Point's half with a sharp tap between Pete and Harry that put him safely on first. Then, with the Point coachers yelling like mad and dancing like a couple of dervishes, Tom pa.s.sed Pink Northrop. With the three tail-enders coming up there seemed no cause for alarm. But Jensen laid down a nice bunt right in front of the plate, and Lanny, tossing aside his mask, picked it up and hurled it to third.

Unfortunately, Will Scott had started in toward the plate, and the ball got to third ahead of him. By the time Way had recovered it, Leary had scored, Northrop was on second, and Jensen on first. The Pointers went wild with delight, and the blue-and-yellow flags waved in the grandstand. Houghton, aching for a hit, was over-anxious, and fell a victim to the wiles of Lanny and Tom, and there was one out. Pitcher Mason was no more of a batsman than the average twirler, and yet he managed to make it two and three before he finally put an end to the suspense and the inning by hitting to Harry Bryan, who tagged Jensen as he went past and then threw to Gordon, completing the double.

For the next two innings it looked very much as though that one run would be enough to win the game, for Mason settled down and pitched air-tight ball and added four more strike-outs to his credit. Tom Haley was less spectacular, and yet got by without yielding a hit. He pa.s.sed two batters and in the sixth Jensen got as far as third when Pete Robey fumbled Houghton's liner. But there were no runs scored, and at the beginning of the seventh the score still stood 1 to 0 in the visitors'

favor, and Clearfield already tasted defeat. But the audience shouted that here was the "lucky seventh," and those fortunate to have seats stood up and stretched cramped limbs, and everyone shouted.

In the first half of the seventh the clouds began to gather again over Clearfield's head. Caspar Billings, first man up, beat out a weak hit and took second when Townsend sacrificed, Scott to Merrick. A moment later he reached third when Chase flied out to right field. Then House provided a half dozen attacks of heart disease when, with three b.a.l.l.s and two strikes on him, he knocked fouls to nearly every point of the compa.s.s in his endeavor to secure a safe hit and score Caspar. But in the end Tom tricked him into a high fly that settled comfortably into Pete Robey's glove, and again the sky cleared.

"If those boys don't win a run this time," said Mr. Brent, almost crossly, "I'll be sorry I gave them the field."

"You mean, dad, you'll be sorry _I_ gave them the field," corrected Morris, with a grin. Mr. Brent grunted.

"Why don't they bat the ball?" he demanded. "Every time one of them gets on a base, the others leave him there. What they ought to do is to take a good bang at it and send it out there beyond those fellows."

"That's what they're trying to do, papa," replied Louise, "but the Point pitcher won't let them. He's a wonderful pitcher, isn't he, Morris?"

"Pretty fair. He'll get his before the game's over, though. See if he doesn't."

"Get his what?" asked his father curiously.