Billy was fleet of foot and he had hardly broken his stride at the third corner, and now he was putting out for the plate for all he was worth, while the Providence catcher, astride the rubber, shouted imploringly for the ball. Across the diamond the second baseman, recovering after an unsuccessful sweep at Lyman, who had slid safely to the bag, saw what was happening and, in a panic, heaved the ball home. It was a hurried throw and it came in far to the right of the plate, striking the dust ten feet away and bounding into the catcher’s hands by the merest good luck instead of going on to the backstop. But the good luck wasn’t good enough, for, although the catcher threw himself heroically toward the plate, Billy was there before him by a hair’s breadth, and as the two rolled over together in the dust the umpire spread his hands wide, palms downward. When the catcher had struggled to his feet again, Lyman was seated on third base, panting but content, and the score stood five to seven. Lyman deserved a run for his trouble, but he didn’t score it, for Ness was out, shortstop to first baseman, and the eighth inning had passed into history. The stands settled themselves again after several minutes of wild excitement and the teams changed places. It was getting toward five o’clock and the air was cooling perceptibly. Billy Younger went back to the mound, but his wild streak around the bases had told on him and he was decidedly wobbly. He passed the first batsman, struck out the second and allowed the third a clean base hit. Then the fourth man popped a foul to first baseman and Billy settled down. A scratch hit past second left men on first, second and third bases, and for a moment it looked as if the visitors might add to their score. But the best the next purple-stockinged youth could do was to smash a ball straight at Captain Madden, who didn’t have to move an inch to get it, and the side was out. It was high school’s last chance now and the bleachers arose as one man and implored victory. Cook was the first man up. Cook swung his bat grimly as he faced the enemy and then proceeded to raise and lower the hopes of his team-mates and friends by knocking fouls all over the place, going after everything that was offered him. In the end he struck out ingloriously, and Chester Madden took his place.