第31章 BREAKING INTO FAST COMPANY(5)

It was the Quakers' last stand.They faced it as a team that had won many a game in the ninth with two men out.Dugan could do nothing with the Rube's unhittable drop, for a drop curve was his weakness, and he struck out.Hucker hit to Hoffer, who fumbled, making the first error of the game.Poole dumped the ball, as evidently the Rube desired, for he handed up a straight one, but the bunt rolled teasingly and the Rube, being big and tall, failed to field it in time.

Suddenly the whole field grew quiet.For the first time Cogswell's coaching was clearly heard.

``One out! Take a lead! Take a lead! Go through this time.Go through!''

Could it be possible, I wondered, that after such a wonderful exhibition of pitching the Rube would lose out in the ninth?

There were two Quakers on base, one out, and two of the best hitters in the league on deck, with a chance of Lane getting up.

``Oh! Oh! Oh!'' moaned Nan.

I put my hand on hers.``Don't quit, Nan.

You'll never forgive yourself if you quit.Take it from me, Whit will pull out of this hole!''

What a hole that was for the Rube on the day of his break into fast company! I measured it by his remarkable deliberation.He took a long time to get ready to pitch to Berne, and when he let drive it was as if he had been trifling all before in that game.I could think of no way to figure it except that when the ball left him there was scarcely any appreciable interval of time before it cracked in Sweeney's mitt.It was the Rube's drop, which I believed unhittable.Berne let it go by, shaking his head as McClung called it a strike.Another followed, which Berne chopped at vainly.Then with the same upheaval of his giant frame, the same flinging of long arms and lunging forward, the Rube delivered a third drop.

And Berne failed to hit it.

The voiceless bleachers stamped on the benches and the grand stand likewise thundered.

Callopy showed his craft by stepping back and lining Rube's high pitch to left.Hoffer leaped across and plunged down, getting his gloved hand in front of the ball.The hit was safe, but Hoffer's valiant effort saved a tie score.

Lane up! Three men on bases! Two out!

Not improbably there were many thousand spectators of that thrilling moment who pitied the Rube for the fate which placed Lane at the bat then.But I was not one of them.Nevertheless my throat was clogged, my mouth dry, and my ears full of bells.I could have done something terrible to Hurtle for his deliberation, yet I knew he was proving himself what I had always tried to train him to be.

Then he swung, stepped out, and threw his body with the ball.This was his rarely used pitch, his last resort, his fast rise ball that jumped up a little at the plate.Lane struck under it.How significant on the instant to see old Cogswell's hands go up! Again the Rube pitched, and this time Lane watched the ball go by.Two strikes!

That whole audience leaped to its feet, whispering, yelling, screaming, roaring, bawling.

The Rube received the ball from Sweeney and quick as lightning he sped it plateward.The great Lane struck out! The game was over--Chicago, 1; Philadelphia, 0.

In that whirling moment when the crowd went mad and Milly was hugging me, and Nan pounding holes in my hat, I had a queer sort of blankness, a section of time when my sensations were deadlocked.

``Oh! Connie, look!'' cried Nan.I saw Lane and Cogswell warmly shaking hands with the Rube.Then the hungry clamoring fans tumbled upon the field and swarmed about the players.

Wereupon Nan kissed me and Milly, and then kissed Mrs.Nelson.In that radiant moment Nan was all sweetness.

``It is the Rube's break into fast company,'' she said.