his favorite ash stick, and, as he stepped behind the plate, he
gritted his teeth and eyed the pitcher closely.

Carson had been practicing on what he called a fadeaway ball, and now
he thought this would be just the right thing to offer Sam. He wound
up with a great flourish, and sent the sphere in.

Sam was on his guard, and calculated just right. His bat came around
in a clean sweep, and on the instant the ball was flying down towards
deep center.

"My! look at that!"

"Run, Rover, run!"

No sooner had the ball connected with the bat, than Bob, at third, was
on his way home. He reached the plate before Sam touched first. Then
Sam, skirting the initial bag, tore straight for second, and then for
third. In the meantime, the fielder was still running after the ball.
As Sam started for home, the fielder managed to capture the sphere,
and threw it with all his skill to the second baseman.

"Run, Sam, run!" yelled Tom, fairly dancing up and down in his
anxiety. "Leg it, old man, leg it!"

And certainly Sam did "leg it" as he never had before. Straight for
the home plate he came, and slid in amid a cloud of dust, just before
the ball came up from the field.

"Hurrah! hurrah! a home run!"