“What’s the matter with you, Buckhart? You’re entirely out of gear, old man. You had a double play right in your hands. Every runner was forced. Had you stepped on the plate after picking up the ball you could have retired Spangler.” “That’s right,” nodded the Texan. “I know it now. Never did a thing like that before.” “Play ball! play ball!” cried the Rockford crowd, as Dick continued talking to Buckhart in a low tone, “Keep them at it, Swarton.” “They are delaying the game, Mr. Umpire!” cried Swarton. “Make them play!” Dick returned to his position, while Buckhart again crouched behind the bat. On the first ball pitched, Torrey darted toward second. Buckhart threw to Bold, who covered second base. Swarton lost not a second in attempting to score. Bold saw the Rockford captain tearing down the third-base line toward the plate, and therefore, without attempting to tag Torrey, he lined the ball back to Buckhart. Brad had covered the home plate and would have stopped the score had he caught the ball. He muffed it and Swarton slid home safely. The Rockford crowd roared its delight. “The game is ours in the first inning,” muttered Tom Fernald. The excursionists from the island were silent now. Their faces expressed their consternation and dismay. Morrisey danced out to the plate, eager to keep the good work up for Rockford. His lack of confidence in Buckhart led Dick to pitch cautiously, and Morrisey hit the second ball delivered, driving it along the ground inside the first-base line. Big Bob Singleton booted the ball into the diamond, then sprang back to first, as he saw Dick going after the sphere. By sharp running Morrisey crossed first before Merriwell could throw him out. “Is this a ball game?” laughed one of the Rockfordites. “It looks like a farce to me.” As Stowe seldom hit to left field, Smart moved over toward centre, playing in toward the diamond. After missing one, Stowe hit the ball on a dead line to Smart. The little fellow added to the comedy of errors by muffing the liner and throwing poorly to Singleton, who was compelled to get off his sack in order to catch the ball. Stowe crossed first before big Bob could get back to the bag. Again the bases were filled. Crouching under the bat, Buckhart peered through the wires of his cage, and to him those wires seemed as large as crowbars. Just as Dick delivered the first ball to Randolph the Fairhaven catcher snatched off his mask and flung it aside. Randolph barely touched the ball with his bat. A second later Buckhart lay flat on his back, having been struck squarely between the eyes by a foul tip. Immediately the umpire called time and several players gathered around Brad, while a boy brought a bucket of water. The Texan started up a little the moment the water was dashed into his face. When he was lifted to his feet, however, he seemed blinded and dizzy.