THE GAME CALLED BY DARKNESS
A terrible roar broke forth from thousands of throats. Jack had actually
closed his eyes for just a second, unable to witness what might be a
plain palpable muff on the part of the tempted Fred. As he opened them
again, unmindful of the fact that the batter was rushing toward him with
all possible speed, he saw that while Fred had knocked the ball down he
had also made a quick recovery.
Just then, he was in the act of hurling it toward home, where Mullane
had braced himself to receive the throw, and tag the oncoming runner
out. Should Fred veer ever so little from a direct line throw he would
pull the catcher aside, and thus give Clifford the opportunity he wanted
to slide home.
Away went the ball. Jack held his breath. He saw Mullane, reliable old
Mullane, make a quick movement with his hands, and then throwing himself
forward, actually fall upon the prostrate and sliding form of the
Harmony lad.
"You're out!"
That was the umpire making his decision. Not one of the Harmony fellows
as much as lifted a voice to dispute the verdict; in the first place,
they knew Mr. Merrywether too well to attempt browbeating him at the
risk of being taken out of the game; then again every one with eyes
could see that Clifford had been three feet away from the plate when
Mullane tagged him with the ball.
How the crowd did carry on. A stranger chancing on the spot might have
thought Pershing's gallant little army had managed to capture the
Kaiser, or crossed the Rhine on its way to Berlin. Indeed, those
"whoopers" could not have made more noise to the square inch under any
conditions.
And Jack's one thought was gratitude that after all Fred had been able
to come through the great test with his honor unsullied. He had shot the
ball as straight as a die at Mullane; and the game was still anybody's
so far as victory was concerned.
They played a tenth inning, and still not a runner so much as reached
second. Really both pitchers seemed to be getting constantly better,
strange to say, for they mowed the batters down in succession, or else
caused them to pop up fouls that were readily captured by the first or
third basemen, or the man behind the bat.
This was not so wonderful on the part of the veteran Hendrix, for he was
well seasoned in the game, and had been known to figure in a
thirteen-inning deal, coming out ahead in the end when his opponent
weakened. Everybody, however, declared it to be simply marvelous that a
greenhorn slab-artist like young Donohue should prove to be the
possessor of so much stamina.
The eleventh inning went through in quick order. Still the tie remained
unbroken, though Jack managed to get a single in his turn at bat. Phil
Parker also rapped a ferocious screamer across the infield, but hit into
a double that ended the hopeful rally at bat.
When the twelfth opened up, a number of people were seen to start away.
They may have been enthusiastic fans enough, but the day was waning,
home might be far distant, and they did not like the way those clouds
had rolled up, promising a storm sooner or later.
The sun was out of sight long since, and objects could not be determined
as easily as when the game began. Every little while that weather-sharp,
Oliver, would take a sailor-like squint aloft, and chuckle to himself.
Indeed, Specs, his companion, was of the opinion that Oliver would be
willing to cheerfully take a good ducking if he could only have his
scorned prediction prove a true shot.
There were those present so intent on the game that they paid no
attention to the gathering clouds, and the fact that it was getting
difficult to see the ball. This latter fact was depended on to help
bring matters to a focus, because errors were more likely to occur, any
one of which might prove sufficient to let in the winning run.
But if the fielders were thus handicapped, the batters had their own
troubles. They could not distinguish the fast-speeding ball as it shot
by, and consequently were apt to whack away at anything, so strike-outs
must become the order of the day.
The twelfth ended with nothing doing on either side. By now some of the
boys were beginning to tire out, for the long strain was telling on
them. These fellows of weak hearts were willing to have the game called
a draw, which must be played over again at Harmony on the succeeding
Saturday. As playing on the home ground is usually considered a great
advantage, because the players are accustomed to every peculiarity of
the field, Harmony would reap more or less profit from having the
postponed game on their diamond. And consequently, when they trooped out
for the finish of the thirteenth inning, several of them seemed to have
conspired to delay play as much as possible.
This they did in various ways. One fellow made out to have received a
slight injury, and the umpire called time until a companion could wrap a
rag around the scratched finger. Doubtless he would hardly like to show
the extent of his hurt, but the wide grin on his face after the tedious
operation had been concluded, told the truth; indeed, most of those
present were able to guess his object.
Then just as they settled down to play, another fielder called for time
while he knelt down to fasten his shoe-lace which seemed to have come
undone, and might trip him at a critical time when he was racing for a
fly.
The crowd yelled and jeered, but in spite of all, Clifford took a full
minute and more to effect his purpose. Finally, rising, he waved his
hand to the umpire to let him know the game could now proceed.
The crowd knew that Harmony was fighting for time, anxious now to have
the game called a draw, so that they might have another chance on their
home grounds. Such yelling as took place. Harmony was loudly accused of
weakening, and trying to crawl out of a tight hole. Loud calls were made
for Big Bob at bat to knock one over the fence and lose the ball for
keeps.
He did his best, and every one leaped up when the sound of his bat
striking the pellet sounded above all other noises. The ball went
screeching over second, and apparently was tagged for a three-bagger at
least; but Oldsmith had been playing deep when he saw who was up, and by
making a most desperate effort he managed to clutch the ball just in
time.
That was the expiring effort on the part of Chester. The other two
batters went out in quick order just as the first few drops of rain
started to fall.
It was now getting quite gloomy, and a hurried consultation between the
umpire and the rival captains resulted in Mr. Merrywether announcing
through a megaphone that the game would have to be declared a draw,
which tie must be played off at Harmony, according to previous
arrangements, on the following Saturday.
Then the vast crowd commenced to scatter in a great hurry, fearful lest
the rain start falling and drench them. There was more or less confusion
as scores of cars and carryalls rushed along the road leading to
Harmony, distant ten miles or more. Since everybody hurried, the grounds
were soon deserted save by a few who remained to look after things.
Jack and several of the boys would have lingered to talk matters over,
but the lateness of the hour and the overcast sky forbade such a thing,
so they, too, headed for their various homes.
Jack, however, did manage to locate Fred, and made it a point to
overtake the other on the road. He linked his arm with that of the third
baseman, and dropped into step.
"I want to say, Fred, that stop and throw of yours saved the day for
Chester," he told the other. "If you had drawn Steve a foot away from
home Clifford would have slid safe, for he was coming like a hurricane.
Chester will remember that fine work of yours for a long time. And the
girls, Fred, why I thought they'd have a fit, they carried on so. I'm
sure you pleased some of your best friends a whole lot by being
Johnny-on-the-spot today!"
"Thank you for saying it, anyhow, Jack," the other was saying, and
somehow Jack could not help thinking Fred did not show just as much
gratification as most fellows would have done at being so highly
complimented.
But then, he must make allowances. If matters were as desperate as he
suspected, poor Fred must by now be feeling the effect of having allowed
his chance for securing all that money, so badly needed in order to help
his mother, slip through his fingers. Now that all the excitement had
died away, and he found himself face to face with the old question, with
the prospect of seeing his mother's tired looks again reproaching him,
Fred must be wondering whether he had after all chosen wisely in letting
honor take the place of duty.
So Jack commenced to chatter about the game, and how proud Chester folks
would be of the young athletes who represented the town that day.
"It's pretty evident, you must see, Fred," he continued, after thus
arousing the other's interest, "that our big task of getting
subscriptions toward building or renting a building for a club-house and
gymnasium has been helped mightily by the clever work done this day. I
heard of three influential gentlemen who had declared they were willing
to take a hand, just because such determined and hard-playing boys stood
in need of such an institution."
"Yes, Chester has been away behind the times in looking after the morals
and requirements of her young people," admitted Fred. "There's Marshall
with its fine Y. M. C. A. building and gym., and even Harmony has a
pretty good institution where the young fellows can belong, and spend
many a winter's evening in athletic stunts calculated to build up their
bodies, and make them more healthy."
"Well, believe me, the day is about to dawn when Chester will be put on
the map for the same stuff," asserted Jack, not boastingly, but with
full confidence; "and these splendid baseball matches we're pulling off
nowadays are bound to help to bring that same event to pass. Men who had
almost forgotten that they used to handle a bat in their kid days have
had their old enthusiasm for the national sport of America revived.
Depend upon it, Fred, in good time we'll be playing football, hockey,
basketball, and every sort of thing that goes to make up the life of a
healthy boy."
In this fashion did the pair talk as they hurried along. The drops were
beginning to come down faster now, showing that when the game was
called, it had been a very wise move, for many people must otherwise
have been caught in the rain.
Fred seemed to be fairly cheerful at the time Jack shook his hand again,
and once more congratulated him on his fine work for the team. Looking
back after they had parted, Jack saw the boy stop at his door and
hesitate about entering, which seemed to be a strange thing for a member
of the gallant baseball team that had covered themselves with glory on
that particular day to do.
But then Jack could guess how possibly Fred might be feeling his heart
reproach him again because he had chosen his course along the line of
honor. He must get a grip on himself before he could pass in and see
that weary look on her face. Jack shook his head as he hurried on to his
own house. He felt that possibly the crisis in Fred's young life had,
after all, only been postponed, and not altogether passed. That terrible
temptation might come to him again, more powerful than ever; and in the
game at Harmony, if a choice were given him, would he be just as able to
resist selling himself as he had on this wonderful day?