never be forgotten by those eager Scranton fans. It was as loud
and clear as the stroke of a woodsman's ax on a hollow tree. And
they saw the ball speeding away out dead ahead. Everybody started
up again to watch its course, while shouts rent the air.

Major was making along like mad. No use, Major, because that ball
is ticketed for a home run, and nothing on earth but a collapse of
the part of the fellow spinning around the bases can prevent it.
When the ball struck the ground Major was not within thirty feet
of it. He did not even attempt to jump up and tag the fleeting
sphere as it passed far above his bead, realizing the absurdity
of such a proceeding. His business was simply to recover the ball,
and get it in home as rapidly as he could.

But before this could be accomplished Thad Stevens was lying on
the ground among his mates, panting for breath, but a pleased grin
on his face, while some of the fellows were patting him happily on
the back, and telling him that he had saved the day for good old
Scranton High.

That ended the scoring for Scranton, although "Just" Smith did manage
to get on first by means of a scratch hit. Joe Danvers tried to equal
the performance of the backstop, but while he met the ball and sent
it far afield, unluckily. It went too high, and this enabled Major
to get beneath, with the result that the fly was caught, and the side
went out.

The excitement started all over again when Belleville came to bat for
their turn. It was plain to be seen that they had "blood in their
eye," and meant to redouble their efforts to score.