"Wow!" jeered Fairview's friends, for Puder had not swung at it.
"Robber!" yelled some one, but the Fairview captain only laughed. "Make him give you a good one, Puder," he said.
But waiting availed Puder nothing, for Tom neatly struck him out, and followed it by doing the same to Lem Sellig. Frank Sullivan managed to find Tom's second delivery, and sent a neat little liner out toward Bricktop Molloy, at short. Bricktop seemed to have it fairly in his grasp, even though he had to reach out to one side for it, but his foot slipped, and the ball went on past him.
"Run, Frank, run!" screamed a score of voices, and Frank legged it for first, reaching the bag before Joe Jackson in left field could run up and redeem Bricktop's error by stopping the rolling ball.
"Never mind, two down--play for the batter," advised Dutch in a signal to Tom, and the pitcher nodded comprehendingly. Ned Williams, who followed Sullivan, knocked two fouls, both of which Dutch tried hard to get, but could not. Then Tom struck him out with a puzzling drop, and a goose egg went up on the score board for Fairview.
"Guess they're not finding us as soft as they expected," remarked Holly Cross, as his side came in.
"It's early yet," advised Tom. "Wait until about the fifth inning, and then talk."
"Do you wish to spank me?" asked Bricktop, as he came up to Tom, looking sorrowful over his error.
"Don't do it again, that's all," said Coach Leighton.
"Not for worlds," promised the red-haired shortstop.
Holly Cross was up first, and he faced John Allen, the Fairview pitcher, with a grin of confidence. He swung viciously at the first ball, and missed it clean.
"Make him give you a nice one," called Bricktop, who was coaching from third. "We've got all day, Holly. He'll tire in about two innings. He has no Irish blood in him, as I have," and there was a laugh at Bricktop's "rigging" while the Fairview pitcher smiled sheepishly.
But though Holly waited, it availed him but little. Three balls were called for him, after his first strike, though the Fairview crowd wanted to injure the umpire. Then Allen stiffened, and Holly walked back to the bench without even swinging the stick again.
"Only one gone. We've got plenty of chances yet," called Bricktop, from the coaching box, and in his enthusiasm he stepped over the line. The umpire warned him back. Dan Woodhouse was up next.