Squint Fletcher strode up to the plate, and came down on the first ball Frank put over. The hit was a clean one, the sphere flying out between Moore and Nippen for a Texas leaguer, but Squint was not content with this. He tore around first and went on to second like a whirlwind. Moore sent the ball in to Spaulding perfectly. The second baseman stood off the line, and, as he stooped for the catch, Squint came slamming into him in a whirl of dust. The ball was seen to drop, and, when the dust cleared off, Spaulding was fiercely addressing the grinning Squint, whose spikes had gone into his leg. “Rotten! Murder him!” went up the yell. “Dirty work! Smash him, Jim!” cried McCarthy. Spaulding was about to obey, when Chip Merriwell leaped on him and restored him to sanity. Muttering, the angry Spaulding wiped the blood from his leg and limped to his place. Frank returned to his box, glad that trouble had been avoided. Burkett fanned, but Bangs clipped a high one that Moore misjudged. Squint was halted at third, while Bangs took second on a close decision, with one out. Ironton came up and deliberately stepped into Merry’s double shoot, but did it so cleverly that the umpire was deceived into giving him a base. The sacks were filled. The next man up was Johnson. Frank fooled him once, then snapped the ball to Clancy in an endeavor to catch Ironton. The effort failed, but Squint Fletcher took a chance on reaching home. Clancy sent in the ball far ahead of him, and Squint turned to get back to third. As he did so, Billy put the ball into McCarthy’s hand. Squint gave a yell and flung himself at Dan feet first, in an undoubted effort to spike. A shout of anger burst from every man on the field. The lanky McCarthy was not so easily caught, however. As Squint came at him, he writhed aside and drove down his fist with the ball into Fletcher’s face. Squint was knocked a yard away, and rose with a yell of wrath, blood streaming from his nose. McCarthy was only too ready to pitch into him, but Bully Carson dragged his backstop away, and Merry caught Dan by the shoulder. “You paid him out for spiking Jim,” cried Frank. “Now simmer down, Dan.” Squint was greeted with howls and catcalls as he came in. But, during the storm, Bangs had stolen third, and Ironton had taken second. Frank gave Johnson a fast high one, and Johnson hammered it for two sacks. Murray fanned, but the evil was done. The score stood three to one, and the Clippings seemed lost when McCarthy came out to the plate and went out on a high fly. The crowd began to stream away from the field. Nippen lumbered up to the plate, and, with a grin, Carson handed him an out. A shriek of astonishment went up as the huge fruit-picker connected. The ball went up and up, and the Clipper outfield raced back. Then they halted in dismay.