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 make the tag. But Tom's feet had slipped across the rubber, and the downward motion of the umpire's open, outspread hand declared him safe.

Again the Bullies protested, and again the umpire was compelled to produce his watch. With difficulty the excited crowd was kept off the field.

Laughing, Stark had helped Locke to rise, and made a show of brushing some of the dust from him.

"It's your game that wins to-day, if you can hold them down now," declared Larry. "It was bunting when they weren't expecting it that did the trick. Oh, say, there'll be some sore heads in Bancroft to-night!"

Henry Cope came bursting out of the crowd back of the bench to shake hands with Locke.

"Sufferin' Moses, whut a game!" he exclaimed. "If I ain't under the doctor's care ter-morrer it'll be queer. Keep 'em right where they be, an' we've won."

"Lots of good that will do us when the game is counted out of the series," sneered Hutchinson.

"Even if they count it out," returned the grocer, "folks round this town're goin' to have a heap o' Bancroft's money t' spend."

Reddy Crandall did not score. He had done