Page:Baseball Joe on the School Nine.djvu/214

200 the first batter, Dunlap Spurr, who had the reputation of being a heavy hitter. Ward signalled for a low one, for he knew that Dunlap had a tendency to hit over such a ball. Joe nodded his head to show that he understood, and the next moment the horsehide went speeding toward the plate.

The batter swung viciously at it but—missed. He had gone half a foot over it.

"Strike!" cried the umpire.

"Make him give you a pretty one!" called Elmer. "He will if you wait."

"He won't have long to wait," retorted our hero. This time he decided to send one over the corner of the plate, as he noticed that Dunlap had a free swing. Joe hoped he would strike at it and miss, and that was exactly what happened.

"Strike two!" howled the umpire, and there followed a gasp of dismay. Dunlap was not in the habit of doing this, and he rather scowled.

Joe smiled.

"One more and we'll have him down!" called the catcher.

"Where'd you get the pitcher?" asked a Morningside wit.

"Oh, we had him made to order," replied Tom Davis, who was anxiously waiting on first.