Page:Stanwood Pier--Crashaw brothers.djvu/199

Rh were stilled; and the astounded Wells and the disappointed Morton walked glumly to their  bench. Cose, the next batter, knocked up an easy fly which Payne caught, and St. John’s  took the field.

Keating was escorted in from first base to the plate by the band and by a crowd of  friends, among them Edward,—all striving in  the turmoil to express their gratitude and admiration. He was first at bat that inning, and Durant led a cheer with Keating’s name twice  repeated at the end of it—after which,  Keating as usual struck out.

But he could be forgiven that many times over—for had he not snatched them all from  the very jaws of defeat? Blanchard and Bell each hit slow grounders and were thrown out at  first; and still the score was tied. And at the end of the tenth inning it was still two to two.

The crowd had become silent with excitement. Bell had been betraying signs of nervousness and fatigue; Jim Payne, from behind the bat, had obviously been working hard to  steady him. But Jackson was still as swift