Part 7 (1/2)
Probably the little scene made Bart nervous, for he struck out, an unusual thing with him. That put the side out, the inning ending in the tie score. There was little apprehension in the ranks of the Preparatory team, but there were anxious hearts among the high school supporters.
The cheering died away.
”Stumpy; you pitch,” called Bart.
”Me! Why I can't pitch! I never pitched a regular game.”
”I'm captain, and you pitch,” said Bart decidedly, and much amazed at his selection Stumpy walked into the box.
The suddenness of it was just his salvation. He had no chance to get nervous.
”Can he do it?” asked Ned, as he started for his place.
”He's got a fine, natural curve,” replied Bart. ”I never noticed it until the other day. Discovered it by accident. I think he'll make good.”
And Stumpy did. He hardly knew how he did it, but he had a knack of throwing the ball that fooled the best batters on the other team. He struck out the first two men, and there arose murmurs of anxiety among the rivals.
”Why didn't they put him in first?” asked the captain of the home team of some of his men, wondering why so good a pitcher had been left to the last.
The third batter managed to plant the leather in a long flight in the direction of third base. But Frank was right on the alert. He made a splendid jump and caught it, putting the side out minus a run. There was a wild burst of cheering from the high school girls and boys.
”Only takes one run to beat 'em!” exclaimed Bart as his team went to the bat for the last time. ”Somebody get it!”
Somebody did. It was Ned, who came first to the plate. He lined a beauty just over the center fielder's head, and got two bases on it. Joe Wright brought him in, and such a yell as went up from the high school crowd was seldom heard on that diamond.
”That does it!” yelled Bart, capering about. ”Stumpy! you're all to the good!”
”But Ned won the game,” objected Fenn.
”Your pitching held them down just when they would have walked away from us. You're all to the good, Stumpy!”
”Three cheers for Stumpy!” called some one, and they came with a vim that made Fenn blush.
CHAPTER VII
ALICE HAS A CHANCE
The four chums were certainly regarded as the heroes of the school that day, for they had been instrumental in winning a victory that went down in the history of the inst.i.tution as a most brilliant one.
”I didn't know you had it in you, Stumpy,” said Ned, as the nine reached the high school grounds on the return trip.
”Me either,” replied Fenn. ”It sort of 'growed,' like Topsy in Uncle Tom's Cabin.”
”To think of beating the Preps,” murmured Bart. ”It's the finest thing that ever happened.”
”How's your wrist, Lem?” asked Frank.
”Hurts like the mischief. Sandy came down on it with all his force.”