"Here's another home run," he prophesied, but Tom, in his heart, decided it was not to be, nor was it, for Bower struck out. This still left the score four to three, in favor of Fairview at the ending of the first half of the ninth inning. Randall needed two runs to win, but one would tie the tally, and give them another chance. It would also afford another opportunity for Fairview. The big crowd was on edge. Songs and college cries were being hurled back and forth from grand stand and bleachers. "The 'Conquer or Die' song, fellows," yelled Bean Perkins, and the strains of "_Aut Vincere Aut Mori!_" sung in Latin, welled sweetly and solemnly over the diamond. Tom Parsons felt the tears coming into his eyes, as he walked in. "Oh, if we only can win!" he breathed. He was up first, and he almost trembled as he faced the Fairview pitcher. There was a mist in his eyes, but somehow he managed to see through it the ball that was coming swiftly toward him. It looked good to his practiced eye, and he swung at it with all his force. To his delight there followed that most delightful of sounds, the "ping," as the tough mushroom bat met the ball. "Oh! Oh! Oh! A pretty hit! A beaut!" Tom heard the crowd yell, as he tossed aside the club, and started for first like a deer. "Go on! Go on!" yelled Holly Cross. "Keep a-going, Tom!" Tom kept on, swung wide around first, and then legged it for second. The ball had gone well over the center fielder's head, and he was running back toward the daisies after it. "Go on! Go on!" implored Holly. Tom reached third before the ball was fielded in, and he remained there panting, while Joe Jackson took his place at home plate, swaying his bat to and fro. "None gone, Tom on third and Joe at bat," mused Mr. Leighton. "I wish Joe was a better hitter, but maybe he can knock out a bingle that will do the trick." Joe did, though it was more through an error on the part of the second baseman, who muffed the fly, than any ability on Joe's part, that the Jersey twin got to first. Tom came in, amid a burst of cheers and yells, scoring the tying run. Would there be a winning one, or would ten innings be necessary? Jerry Jackson struck out, while his friends groaned, but Joe, with desperate daring, managed to steal second. Then up came Dutch Housenlager, and when he hit the ball a resounding whack the heart of more than one lad was in his throat. But, by a desperate run, the left fielder caught the fly, and Dutch was out, while Joe Jackson was on third. He died there, for Phil, to his great chagrin, struck out. The score stood a tie 4 to 4. "Ten innings! Ten innings!" yelled the crowd. Bean Perkins and his fellows were singing all the songs they knew. So were the Fairview cohorts, and the scene was a wild one. "Hold 'em down, Tom; hold 'em down!" implored the coach as the plucky pitcher went to his box.