Page:Stanwood Pier--Crashaw brothers.djvu/33

Rh haps the demonstration for which the spectators had prepared was going to fizzle out.

His men did nothing at the bat that inning. Lawrence, who was first up, struck out.

“Ah, but he’s such a wag!” some Fifth Form voice cried soothingly.

Dunbar, who followed Lawrence, popped up a fly which Durant caught; and then Winslow  hit an easy grounder to the pitcher.

“0 easy marks!” jeered the Fifth and Sixth Form crowd as Edward and his players  took the field.

Then with the first ball pitched, the din began; the horns tooted, the whistles blew, the jeers for the pitcher, the catcher, and the first  baseman became continuous. Blanchard, the first batter, took his base on balls, and Edward  walked out to hand the ball to Lawrence and  steady his nerves.

“Take him out, take him out! He’s cracked already!” yelled the Fifth Form.

The next moment Edward, with a lightning throw to Keating, caught Blanchard far off  first base.