Instead of letting himself out, Bronson only used enough speed to limber his arm, and when he declared he was ready, Hal met the Landon captain to toss the coin for choice of innings. Luck smiled on Baxter, and Hal chose the field, thus assuring his team the last chance at bat. When the result of the toss was made known, the Baxter contingent cheered wildly. Landon tooted its horns in defiance, but when the visiting nine took their positions, there was a momentary lull. Taking plenty of time, Bronson watched Gregory for a signal, but when it came for an inshoot, he shook his head. Twice more he refused to pitch the balls his catcher called for, and gave the signal for his in-jump. "Get an alarm-clock to wake that pitcher up," shouted a Landon man through a megaphone. But before the echo had died away, Bronson had sent the ball speeding toward the plate. With a grin, the batter struck at it--and missed. "Strike one!" bellowed the umpire, while Baxter cheered. Again Bronson pitched. This time the batsman decided to see what sort of a ball was being thrown at him, and as he saw it jump, he chuckled. "I can eat those," he called to his teammates. But the "strike tuh!" of the umpire banished the smile from his face as he realized that a pitcher who had such control he could jump the ball across the plate was one with whom to reckon. Again Bronson refused Gregory's signals, indicating he would send another jump. In breathless silence, the spectators watched. Bronson pitched, the batter swung, and the umpire shouted "Strike three!" Wildly the Baxter contingent cheered, for the man struck out had been Mitchell, the Landon captain. And in the home section there was corresponding gloom. Nervously, the second batter approached the plate, and Bronson, taking advantage of it, sent three out-shoots that, apparently travelling straight for the man at bat, caused him to step back, then broke beautifully and cut the plate. Six balls pitched, and not a semblance of a hit, with the surest batters down, gave the Landon captain a scare, and he ran to where his schoolmates sat. "For the love of Landon, get busy with those horns!" he shouted. Valiantly the boys and girls responded. But in vain. Bronson served the third man up a straight, swift ball, a drop, and an in-jump, and the side was retired. "Bronson! Bronson! Bronson!" chanted the Baxter contingent in appreciation, until Hal waved for silence. But Mitchell, who pitched for Landon, while not in his rival's class, was a brainy player, and retired his opponents without a run, though Sandow got as far as second on a hit through shortstop and a sacrifice by Fred. The next six innings passed without a score, though several scratch hits were made off both pitchers.