Page:Nid and Nod (IA nidnod00barb).pdf/369

 knocking a weak grounder to first baseman.

Hillman's visioned victory and was joyous and noisy when the eighth began, but after the first Farview batsman had lined out Croft's first offering for two bases the joy paled and the noise noticeably subsided. And when the next red-legged batter had hit for a single it began to dawn on the Hillman's supporters that possibly the old adage to the effect that he who laughs last laughs best might be true. Hillman's pitching staff was exhausted, and if Croft went the way of Beedle and Pemberton—and he gave every indication of doing so—the only way the Blue would get the game would be as a gift from Farview! The Maroon and White took to Croft as a duck takes to water. He didn't have much except a couple of slow curves. His fast one wasn't exceptionally fast, and it generally failed to locate the plate. Those slow curves pleased the Farview batsmen immensely. Even the tail-end of their list found no trouble in hitting them. Laurie, watching the man on first as a cat watches a mouse, saw more than a runner who might steal second; he saw a victory fading into defeat.