"Well, you can pass a couple of the Landon boys. That'll give you eight balls," exclaimed Sandow. "You can hold 'em safe easy enough." The tone in which the big first baseman spoke was none too pleasant, for he thought Mitchell's refusal unsportsmanlike. But the Baxter boys had their revenge in the flush the taunt brought to the Landon captain's face. As in the first game, Hal won the toss, and again chose the field. "Shall you use me?" asked Bart of his captain, as his team mates started for their positions. "Not if Bronson goes right," replied Hal. "Then I'm going up to sit with my friends. You can put in Holcomb or Sandow, if Clothespin blows up," retorted the bully. "I'd rather you'd stay on the field," declared his captain. "But I'd rather be with my friends." And, turning on his heel, Bart crossed the diamond, joining his mother and guests in the grand stand. "Aren't you going to play?" exclaimed one of the girls. "No; Markham's gang runs the team." "But they shouldn't allow their jealousy to keep a good player like you out of the deciding game," declared another member of the party. "If you knew Markham, you'd understand," returned the bully, rejoicing at the utterly false impression he had given of his rival. Further effort to prejudice his friends was forgotten in the yell that arose from the Landon stand. "We've got him going! We've got him going!" howled the students. Acting on Sandow's suggestion, Bronson had passed both the first and second Landon batters, pitching balls that were impossible to hit, to limber up. But when the spectators saw the second player trot to first base, they believed the wonder pitcher was having an off day, while the Baxter supporters criticized Hal for sending Bronson to the box without preliminary work. As neither Sandow or Hal had taken the former's remark seriously, the captain ran to Bronson. "Hadn't I better let Holcomb work while you warm up for next inning?" he asked anxiously. "I'm warmed up, _now_," replied the pitcher. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to cut loose. There's no other game to hold back for." "All right; cut loose," grinned Hal, running back to his position in center field. "That captain must be crazy," declared the girl who had sympathized with Bart, as Clothespin continued in the box. "I told you Bronson was Markham's friend," sneered the bully, while from the Landon side came blatant toots of glee. But their joy was short lived. With terrific speed, Bronson shot three strikes across the plate. Then he served the next two batters in the same way. Believing their star had found himself, the Baxter students taunted their rivals by singing, "We were only teasing you."