In the third inning, the Catalpas managed to gain some of their lost ground by making the single run necessary to put them even with their antagonists. Sam Morrison hit a sharp ball to Handy, who attempted to field it, but the sphere went through his hands and bounded over the foul line. Morrison was about to return to the home plate, thinking that the ball was "foul." But Larry Boyne impetuously cried, "Hold your base!" Instantly, the crowds were all excitement. Men and boys rose to their feet shouting "Foul!" "Foul!" All was confusion, and Mr. Heaton, Albert, and the young ladies in the upper box looked on speechlessly as the pandemonium raged below. The umpire seemed dazed, and the hooters, who are ever present, yelled "Foul ball!" "Foul ball!" as if their noise would determine the question. Ben Burton, with an expression of mixed amazement and chagrin, watched Larry, who approached the puzzled umpire with Spalding's official guide-book of base ball. The umpire glanced over the open page and his countenance cleared at once. Bowing with cold politeness, he said, "You are right, Mr. Boyne. I am glad to see that you prairie players are well informed as to all the points in the national game." Larry acknowledged the compliment with a manly salutation and returned to the players' bench. But the spectators would have no such result, and howled on vociferously. The umpire called the game and playing was stopped until silence was restored. When he could be heard, the umpire read the rule in a stentorian tone of voice, whereupon there was some grumbling, but the generous majority, seeing the justice of the position taken for the visitors, cheered "The Curly-headed Cat." Larry acknowledged the dubious compliment. Alice Howell hid her blushing face behind her parasol, and the game went on. But it was evident that this episode had shaken the Calumets a little, as the next two strikers secured their bases by errors. Ellis won his by a misplay by Glenn Otto, and King took his by an error on the part of Handy. This left the three bases occupied and nobody put out--a capital chance for the Catalpas to get in some telling work. Stirling was retired at first base by Handy, but his being out allowed Sam Morrison to cross the marble plate in safety, by skillful base-running. John Brubaker hit a fly to Peabody in the right field; the latter captured the ball and also made a fine double play as Neddie Ellis tried to come home on it, forgetting the reputation which Peabody had won as a long thrower. And then the Catalpas again took the field. "I tell you what, boys, it's mighty tough work to beat these prairie roosters," said the good-natured captain of the Calumets, as his associates took their seats once more on the players' bench.