Part 19 (1/2)
Once Ballinger struck, and was greeted by a whoop from the excited Hickory Ridge rooters, anxiously watching every move. The next one he declined to touch; and lo, it went over the plate for a second strike.
Rendered desperate finally, and seeing still a third floater coming sailing wabblingly along, Ballinger stepped forward and made a vicious swing for it, only to have his bat pa.s.s through thin air.
Then arose a tumultuous whoop. The game was over, and the score stood two to one in favor of Hickory Ridge.
While the shouts of the mult.i.tude were still ringing out, Elmer made straight for the rival pitcher, and thrust out his hand.
”Bully for you, Matt,” he said. ”It was so even that one little thing settled it--that home run hit. And if you haven't won this game, Matt, it's plain to be seen you've won another that counts for much more. I say good luck to the scouts of Fairfield. They're going to make things hum around here, I guess.”
”That's nice of you, Elmer,” returned Matt, quietly, yet with a gleam of satisfaction in his eye. ”Somebody's got to lose, and next time it may be you fellers. But I reckon as how Fairfield people knows by now that things has changed some since these here games used to break up in a row. Never again. We're in this scout business for keeps now, and you got to look out, Elmer, if you don't want us to beat you when the two troops get together for tests.”
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MYSTERY SOLVED.
”I WANT you to go over with me to Colonel Hitchins, Mark,” said Elmer, on the morning after the great victory over the Fairfield scout nine.
”Oh, see here, has it anything to do with that mystery connected with my cap being found under those peach trees that were robbed?” demanded Mark, jumping up; for his chum had found him in his den, busily engaged.
”Perhaps,” smiled the other. ”And oh, by the way, Mark, perhaps you'd better be sure and wear the very cap that was found. I might want to show it to the colonel again for a purpose.”
He declined to say anything more, even though Mark teased him as he got his own wheel out, and the two started forth.
”Just you hold your horses,” he said, shaking his head stubbornly.
”Sometimes it seems like a long night, but daylight always comes in the end.”
”I take that to mean you've made some sort of discovery, then,” declared Mark; ”and honest, now, Elmer, I'll be mighty glad to know the truth.
That thing has puzzled me a heap, I admit. Perhaps Phil Lally has confessed that he found my cap, and left it there when he robbed the trees, meaning to have me looked on as the thief.”
”Shucks, Phil Lally never saw your cap; and even if he did he wouldn't know it from mine or some other fellow's.
”Wait, and don't get so impatient. Unless I miss my guess, it'll soon be old history,” and Elmer led the way along the road at a hot pace.
They soon arrived at the place of Colonel Hitchins.
”There's Phil Lally working in the garden, and he looks satisfied with the way things have come out,” remarked Elmer, as they pa.s.sed toward the mansion.
”Why shouldn't he be?” argued Mark. ”If Phil had his deserts, he'd be on the way to a ten-year sentence at the penitentiary right now. But the old gentleman knew what he was doing when he gave him this last chance; and I really believe the fellow will make good now.”
”I'm dead sure of it,” Elmer added. ”He's had his eyes opened, and the thought of his old and fond mother is going to keep him on the narrow path. But say, turn aside here, and let's take a peep at the tool house, where I had that little rumpus Sat.u.r.day night.”
”I'd like to see it,” remarked the other, eagerly; for by this time he knew all the particulars of his chum's exciting adventure, and was deeply interested in everything that pertained to it.
So they walked around the tool house, and even stepped inside, while Elmer proceeded to once more relate how he had managed to fasten the two men in, after they had entered in search of kerosene.
”h.e.l.lo!” remarked Elmer, finally, ”there's Bruno wagging his tail at us; he knows me by now, and we are pretty good friends; but, all the same, I don't mean to get too close to him when his master isn't around.”
”He's a fine looking dog, as sure as anything,” observed Mark.