The coachers yelled and motioned for the runners to keep right on, for it was plain that the ball was going over Costigan’s head. Thornton dashed over second and made for third. He was running fast, but Hodge seemed to fly. “Watch Hodge cover ground,” called Frank in Capt. Hardy’s ear. “How is that for running?” Hardy did not say a word, but he was astonished, for he did not dream Hodge could run so fast. Frank Merriwell was a swift man on the bases, but it seemed that Bart Hodge was getting along quite as fast as Frank could. Costigan strained every nerve to get under the ball, and made a flying leap into the air for it, but it was just beyond his reach, and he did not even touch it. “Gamp would have caught it,” somebody declared. While the left fielder was chasing the ball, which went bounding along the ground, the runners were making a streak round the diamond. When Thornton passed over third, Hodge was halfway between second and third. When Thornton crossed the plate, Hodge was close at his heels, and both men scored. “Th-th-th-thutteration!” shouted Joe Gamp, in delight. “Ain’t this a ju-ju-jolly time! A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!” Capt. Hardy looked disgusted. Was it possible Frank Merriwell’s remarkable “scrub” team was going to hold the regular’s good play? It would be a standing joke in the college. “Come, Haggerty!” he cried, sharply; “you’ll have to brace up. We’re out here for practice, and not to fool away our time.” Haggerty flushed, but said nothing. He had not thought of fooling, and he did not relish being called down in such a manner. Ned Noon was the most disgusted man on the field. Beneath his breath he muttered bitterly. “Such beastly luck!” he muttered. “Think of Hodge getting a home run the first time up! It is frightful! I must do something to attract attention to me.” He wondered what he could do, but resolved to watch his opportunity. Unfortunately for Noon, Haggerty was a trifle rattled, and that made him wild. Fales was the next batter up. Haggerty was so wild that Fales might have obtained four balls, but he struck at two poor ones. Then, with the score standing two strikes and three balls, Fales struck again at an inshoot and missed. Right there was where Noon’s hard luck came in, for Haggerty had crossed signals with him. Noon had expected an outdrop, but it was a high inshoot. Ned made a desperate attempt to stop it, but simply got his hands on it, and it went caroming off to one side, while Fales ran for first and made the bag all right. “Look here, Noon,” came sharply from Capt. Hardy’s lips, when Ned had recovered the ball and thrown it in, “you must get a brace on. What are you under the bat for?” “It wasn’t my fault,” declared Ned. “Haggerty crossed signs with me.” That made Capt. Hardy angry with Haggerty, and he called him in to the bench, sending Walbert out.