Page:Nid and Nod (IA nidnod00barb).pdf/365

 *tinous. Then George Pemberton came into sight, paused an instant at the bench, and strode toward the box.

Hillman's cheered and Farview jeered. Nate went to the bench with hanging head. As he tossed the ball to the relief pitcher Laurie saw Mr. Mulford pull Nate to a seat beside him and put a big arm over the sorrowful one's shoulders. Then George Pemberton was pitching his warm-up balls, and Laurie was devoutly hoping that they weren't samples of what he would offer later. They were, but Laurie didn't know it then, for, with three balls and but one strike on him, the over-eager Farview third baseman struck at George's first offering and got it. The bases emptied, and red legs streaked for the plate. But far out in deep center field Lee Murdock cast one last look over his shoulder, turned, and pulled down the fly, and Hillman's let loose with a sound that was half a groan of relief and half a yell of joy!

With the score 3 to 0 against her, Hillman's pulled up even in the last of the sixth. Craig Jones worked a pass; Tom Pope sacrificed him neatly to second; and Captain Dave, function