When Dick did pitch the ball Dustan started for second, Crockett having reached third. Unhesitatingly Buckhart lined the sphere down to Tubbs. Crockett jumped off third, as if determined to make a dash for the home plate. Tubbs did not wait for Dustan, who had paused, but returned the ball to Buckhart. Crockett had whirled and plunged back toward third. Dustan reached second. Seeing this, Buckhart snapped the ball to Bradley, who put it onto Crockett, but the umpire declared the man safe. “There you are!” laughed Roberts. “That was all right, boys!” There was a muttering of thunder in the west. Roberts managed to hit a sharp grounder that went out between second and third. It was a clean hit, and on it both Crockett and Dustan scored. Not one of the home team was out. “That wasn’t my fault,” said Darrell. “He hit you that time, Captain Merriwell.” Dick used speed for Conway, who, pretending to make an effort to avoid a close one, permitted himself to be hit. Although this seemed apparent, the umpire allowed him to take first. Macon tried hard for a hit, but Dick was too much for the fellow, and he struck out. “They’ve sus-sus-sus-stopped right here!” yelled Jolliby. Milliken slashed away twice without finding anything more than the empty air, which led Roberts to growl at him. The fellow swung by guess at the very next ball, without using the least judgment and really seeming to shut his eyes. What followed was one of those rare accidental hits that are made by incompetent batters. Had the fellow sought to met Dick’s sharp curve, using his best judgment in doing so, it is likely he would have missed cleanly. As it was, he hit the ball and drove it out on a line for two bases, which was as much a surprise to himself as to any one else. Two more scores came in, making four in the third inning for Fairport. The thunder rumbled nearer. “Hustle this thing, fellows!” panted Roberts. “We’ve got this game nailed! You can hold them down, can’t you, Ware?” “Sure!” answered Ware. “Fan, Anson—fan!” hissed the captain of the home team. Immediately Anson struck out, and Warren followed his example. Believing they had the game safely in hand, the home players were doing their best to hurry through five innings. The visitors saw their design, and Dick urged his men to go after the ball earnestly at the beginning of the fourth. Jolliby did his best, but was thrown out at first. Singleton lifted a fly that was captured. Tubbs reached first on an error, and Buckhart lifted a foul back of third that was secured by Macon. Fardale’s chance in the fourth was passed. The clouds were hanging black overhead now, and a few sprinkles of rain came pattering down. “What shall I do, captain?” asked Ware of Roberts, as he picked up his bat. “Fan,” answered Roberts. “Get out just as quick as you can.” Ware obeyed, and both Crockett and Dustan did the same thing, much to Buckhart’s disgust.