diff options
Diffstat (limited to '43940-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 43940-0.txt | 6636 |
1 files changed, 6636 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/43940-0.txt b/43940-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..97a6c20 --- /dev/null +++ b/43940-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6636 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43940 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 43940-h.htm or 43940-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43940/43940-h/43940-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43940/43940-h.zip) + + +Transcriber's note: + + Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + + Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). + + + + + +[Illustration: IT WAS THE LONGEST HIT THAT EVER HAD BEEN MADE ON THE +POLO GROUNDS.] + + +BASEBALL JOE, HOME RUN KING + +Or + +The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record + +by + +LESTER CHADWICK + +Author of +"Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars," "Baseball Joe in the Big League," +"The Rival Pitchers," "The Eight-Oared Victors," etc. + +ILLUSTRATED + + + + + + + +New York +Cupples & Leon Company + + + * * * * * * + +BOOKS BY LESTER CHADWICK + +=THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES= + +=12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.= + + BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS + BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE + BASEBALL JOE AT YALE + BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE + BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE + BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS + BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES + BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD + BASEBALL JOE, HOME RUN KING + + +=THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES= + +=12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.= + + THE RIVAL PITCHERS + A QUARTERBACK'S PLUCK + BATTING TO WIN + THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN + FOR THE HONOR OF RANDALL + THE EIGHT-OARED VICTORS + +CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, New York + + * * * * * * + +Copyright, 1922, by CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY + +=Baseball Joe, Home Run King= + +Printed in U. S. A. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I A DANGEROUS PLUNGE 1 + II A SURPRISE 17 + III REGGIE TURNS UP 33 + IV THE ANONYMOUS LETTER 43 + V "PLAY BALL!" 54 + VI GETTING THE JUMP 61 + VII STEALING HOME 71 + VIII A BASEBALL IDOL 79 + IX AN OLD ENEMY 87 + X THREE IN A ROW 94 + XI RIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER 101 + XII JIM'S WINNING WAYS 108 + XIII A BREAK IN THE LUCK 117 + XIV A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE 123 + XV AN EVENING RIDE 131 + XVI THE ATTACK ON THE ROAD 136 + XVII FALLING BEHIND 143 + XVIII IN THE THROES OF A SLUMP 151 + XIX A CLOSE CALL 157 + XX SPEEDING UP 163 + XXI THE WINNING STREAK 170 + XXII STRIVING FOR MASTERY 178 + XXIII HOLDING THEM DOWN 184 + XXIV A CRUSHING BLOW 191 + XXV LINING THEM OUT 197 + XXVI THE TIRELESS FOE 203 + XXVII CHAMPIONS OF THE LEAGUE 210 + XXVIII THE WORLD SERIES 218 + XXIX THE GAME OF HIS LIFE 224 + XXX CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD 230 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + IT WAS THE LONGEST HIT THAT EVER HAD BEEN MADE + ON THE POLO GROUNDS. + + THERE WAS NO DOUBT OF THE WARMTH OF THAT WELCOME. + + SUDDENLY PICKING UP THE BALL HE HURLED IT TO SECOND. + + "GREAT SCOTT!" HE CRIED. "WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOUR HAND?" + + + + +BASEBALL JOE, HOME RUN KING + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A DANGEROUS PLUNGE + + +"I'm going to tie you up in knots, old man," said Jim Barclay, with a +smile, as he picked up the ball and stepped into the box in batting +practice at the training camp. + +"I've heard that kind of talk before," retorted Joe Matson, known all +over the country as "Baseball Joe," the king pitcher of the Giants. +"But untying knots is the best thing I do. Give me the best you have in +the shop." + +Jim wound up and put one over that just cut the corner of the plate. +Joe made a mighty swing at it, but it was just beyond his reach. + +"Nearly broke your back reaching for that one, eh?" laughed Jim, as the +ball was thrown back to him. + +"I was just kidding you that time," grinned Joe. "I'm going to kill the +next one." + +Again the ball whizzed to the plate. It was a fast, straight ball with +a slight hop to it. Joe caught it near the end of his bat and "leaned +on it" heavily. The ball soared out between right and center, and +the outfielders covering that position gave one look at it and then +turned and ran with the ball. But it kept on and on until it cleared +the fence, and the discomfited fielders threw up their hands and came +slowly back to their positions. + +Jim looked sheepish, and Joe, who was his chum and best friend, laughed +outright as he relinquished the bat to the next man in line. + +"A sweet home run, Jim," he remarked. + +"I should say so!" snorted Jim. "That hit was good for two home runs. +The ball was ticketed for kingdom come." + +"Who was it said that pitchers couldn't hit?" laughed Mylert, the burly +catcher of the Giant team, as he took Joe's place. + +"I'll tell the world that some of them can!" exclaimed Jim, as he +prepared to try his luck again. "Gee, Joe, if that had happened to me +in a regular game, it would have broken my heart." + +Two keen-eyed men in uniform had been standing near the side lines, +watching intently every move of the players, as they tried out their +batting eyes and arms. One was stocky and of medium height, with +hair that had begun to grey at the temples. The other was stout and +ruddy, with a twinkle in his eyes that bespoke good nature. Both were +veterans of many hard-fought baseball campaigns, and both had played +on the Baltimore Orioles when that great organization of stars was the +sensation of the baseball world. + +"Did you see that hit, Robbie?" asked McRae, the manager of the Giants, +of his stout companion. + +"Not all of it," replied Robson, the coach of the team. "But I followed +it as far as the fence. That was a whale of a wallop. I'll bet the +ball's going yet," and the man chuckled gleefully. + +"Of course, this was only in practice," mused McRae. "Perhaps Barclay +wasn't trying over hard." + +"Don't kid yourself, Mac," replied Robson. "Barclay wasn't just lobbing +them up. That ball came over like a bullet. It had a hop on it too, but +Joe gauged it just right. I tell you that boy is a wonder. If he wasn't +a wizard in the box, he'd be a terror at the bat." + +"I wish there were two of him, Robbie," said the manager, smiling. "One +to cover the mound and the other to use as a pinch hitter or play him +in the outfield. That would make a combination hard to beat." + +"It was the best day's work you ever did when you got that lad from St. +Louis," remarked Robson. "I'll bet the Cardinal's manager feels like +throwing a fit every time he thinks what a fool he was to let him go." + +"Well," said McRae, "if everybody's foresight in baseball was as good +as his hindsight, there'd be no trading done. I don't mind saying that +I throw out my chest a little for having seen what was in the kid. He's +certainly been the making of the team." + +"One thing is certain; and that is that you wouldn't have the World's +Championship tucked away if it hadn't been for his great work in the +Series," rejoined Robson. "He just had those Chicago birds eating out +of his hand." + +"Right you are," admitted McRae. "Here's hoping he'll repeat this +season." + +"Don't worry a bit about that," was Robson's confident answer. "You can +see for yourself that he's been going great guns in practice. And even +at that he hasn't been letting himself out. He's taking good care of +that old soup-bone of his." + +"He was never better in his life," declared McRae. "I'll admit that I +was a little worried for fear that the trip around the world had taken +something out of him. You know what a strain he was under in that +All-Star League affair, Robbie. But it hasn't seemed to affect him at +all." + +"He'll need all he's got this year," said Robbie thoughtfully. "We'll +have to depend more on the pitching than we did last year, because +we're not so strong on the batting end. When Burkett quit, it took +away a good deal of our hitting strength, and you've seen that Mylert +is slipping. On the form he's shown in practice this spring, he won't +be good for more than a two hundred and fifty per cent average, and +that's about sixty points below what he showed last year." + +"I know it," agreed the manager, a worried look coming into his face. +"And what makes it worse is that Larry, too, is slow in rounding +into form. Instead of lining them out, he's sending them up in the +air. He'll be just pie for the fielders if he keeps it up. I can't +understand the thing at all." + +"Oh, well," said Robbie, whose jolly disposition never let him stay +long under a cloud, "here's hoping that they'll come to the scratch +when the season opens. Some of the rookies look pretty good to me, and +if the old-timers fall down we may be able to fill their places all +right. Come along, Mac; let's finish working out that schedule for +the trip north. We'll have to get a hustle on to be in shape to start +to-morrow." + +McRae gave the signal to his men that practice time was over, and the +young athletes, nothing loth to drop their work and get down to the +hotel for dinner, began to gather up their bats preparatory to jumping +into the bus which was waiting outside the grounds. But before they got +to it, McRae and Robson had climbed in and given the signal to the +driver to start. + +"No, you don't!" he called out with a grin, as the bus started away. +"You fellows leg it down to the hotel. It's only two miles, and you +need the exercise. Get a move on, or Robbie and I will clear the table +before you get there." + +There were grunts and groans from the players, for the sun was warm and +the practice had been strenuous. But there was no help for it, and they +dropped into a dog trot that was quickened by the thought of the dinner +that was waiting for them at the end of the journey. + +They reached the hotel in good time, took a shower bath, changed into +their regular clothes, and were soon at the table with an appetite that +swept the board and made the colored waiters roll their eyes in wonder, +not unmixed with awe. + +After the meal was finished, Joe and Jim were on their way to the +room they shared together when they passed McRae and Robbie, who were +sitting in the lobby enjoying their after-dinner cigars. + +McRae beckoned to them, and they went over to where the pair was +sitting. + +"Well, boys," said the manager, as he motioned to a couple of chairs +into which they dropped, "our spring practice is over and I don't mind +saying that I'm feeling good over the way you fellows ate up your +work. Both of you look as fit as fiddles." + +"That's sure the way we feel," answered Joe, and Jim murmured +acquiescence. + +"In fact you look so good," went on McRae, knocking the ashes from +his cigar and settling back comfortably in his chair, "that I'm going +to call training finished, as far as you two are concerned. Just now +you're right at the top of your form, and I don't want to take any +chances on your going stale. So I'm going to let you rest up for +the next week or ten days. All you have to do is to take good care +of yourselves--and I know you boys well enough to be sure you'll do +that--and turn up in shape when the season opens week after next." + +Joe and Jim looked at each other, and the same thought was in the mind +of each. This seemed too good to be true! + +"We start north to-morrow," went on McRae, "in two lots, playing minor +league teams on the way to keep in practice. The regulars will go along +with me, while Robbie will take the second string men and the rookies. +We'll jog along in easy fashion and hope to reach the Polo Grounds in +the pink of condition." + +By this time Joe had found his voice. He smiled broadly. + +"That's mighty good of you, Mac," he said. "I suppose you want us then +to go right through to New York." + +"That's the idea," replied the manager. "Robbie will see to your +transportation this afternoon." + +But just here, Robson, who had been watching the boys' faces, broke +into a laugh. + +"For the love of Mike, wake up Mac!" he adjured his friend. "Don't you +know that Joe lives only a couple of hundred miles from here right over +the border? And don't you remember those two pretty girls that were +with us on the World Tour? And didn't we hear Joe telling Jim a few +days ago that his sweetheart was visiting his folks? And here you are +sending the lads straight through to New York with never a stop on the +way. Mac, old man, I'm ashamed of you." + +McRae grinned as he looked at the faces of the young men--faces that +had grown suddenly red. + +"Robbie hit the nail on the head, did he?" he said, with a chuckle. +"Well, I'm Irishman enough to have a soft spot in my heart for the lads +and their colleens. Fix it up, boys, to suit yourselves. As long as you +report on time, that's all I ask. Get along with you now, as Robbie and +I have got to fix up our routes." + +Joe and Jim were only too glad to "get along," and after thanking McRae +hurried to their room, where they indulged in a wild war dance. + +"Glory, hallelujah!" shouted Joe. "A whole week or more to ourselves, +and home only two hundred miles away!" + +"Your home is," replied Jim. "Mine's more than a thousand miles away." + +"You old sardine!" cried Joe, throwing a book at his head. "Isn't my +home yours? Do you think I'd dare show my face there without bringing +you along? Clara would never forgive me. Neither would Mabel. Neither +would Momsey nor Dad. Get a wiggle on now, old man, and hunt up a +time-table." + +Jim, with his face jubilant at the thought of soon seeing Joe's +pretty sister, hustled about for the time-table; and with heads close +together the young men were soon poring over the schedules. At last Joe +straightened up with a vexed exclamation. + +"Of all the roundabout ways!" he ejaculated. "We'll have to change +three or four different times with all sorts of bad connections, and +can't reach Riverside until to-morrow afternoon." + +"Wait a minute," said Jim, running his pencil along a column. "Here's +a line that will get us to Martinsville early to-morrow morning, just +before daylight. How far is Martinsville from Riverside?" + +"About fifty miles more or less," replied Joe. "But crickey, Jim, that +gives me an idea! What's the matter with going to Martinsville and +hiring an auto there? I know Hank Bixby who keeps a garage there and +has autos for hire. He used to live in Riverside, and played with me +on the old school nine before his folks moved away. I'll send him a +wire telling him what time we'll get there and asking him to have a +first-class car ready for us." + +"You know the road all right, do you?" asked Jim. "Remember it will be +dark when we get there." + +"I know it like a book," replied Joe. "I've been over it many a time. +I could travel it in the dark. It's as level as a table until you get +to Hebron. Just beyond that there's a steep hill that will give the car +something to do. But Hank will give me a machine that can climb it, +and, besides, it will be just about daylight by the time we get there. +It's a cinch that we won't have any trouble. I'll bet a hat--what's the +matter, Jim?" + +For Jim had risen and moved quickly toward the door, which had been +standing partly open. He put out his head and looked down the corridor. +Not satisfied with that, he went down the hall to the head of the +stairs. Then he slowly retraced his steps. + +Joe, who had followed his chum to the door, looked at him with +open-mouthed wonder. + +"What's the matter with you?" he queried. "Have you gone daffy?" + +"Not exactly," replied Jim. "I thought I saw somebody I knew go past +the door." + +"Likely enough," said Joe, with a touch of sarcasm. "It wouldn't be at +all surprising. The hotel is full of our fellows." + +"It wasn't one of our boys," returned Jim slowly. + +"Well, who was it then?" asked Joe, a little impatiently. "Come out of +your trance, old man." + +"I think it was a fellow we know only too well," Jim replied. "I think +it was Braxton." + +"Braxton!" exclaimed Joe with sudden interest. "The fellow that was +with us on the World Tour?" + +"The same one," affirmed Jim. "The fellow you licked within an inch of +his life in the old Irish castle." + +"Are you sure?" asked Joe. "It doesn't seem at all likely that we'd run +across that rascal in this little training-camp town. What on earth +would he be doing down here?" + +"That's just what I want to know," replied Jim soberly. "As you say, +it's all against the chances that we should run across him here by +accident. If he's here, he's come with some purpose. And that purpose +means nothing good for you. He's exactly the sort of man that won't +forget that thrashing." + +"I guess he won't," replied Joe grimly. "My knuckles ache now when I +think of it. But if he's looking for another licking, he sure can have +it." + +"He isn't looking for another," Jim returned. "He's looking to get even +for the first one you gave him. You know he swore at the time that he'd +pay you up for it." + +"He's welcome to try," declared Joe indifferently. "But really, Jim, I +think you're mistaken. It seems too improbable. There are plenty of men +in the world who look like Braxton." + +"Of course, I wouldn't swear it was he," admitted Jim. "I only saw him +side-face, and he slipped past the door like a ghost." + +"Well, we'll keep our eyes open about the hotel and around the town," +rejoined Joe. "But now let's think of pleasanter things. Our train goes +at six, and we've got lots to do in getting our duds packed. Then, too, +I've got to wire to Hank and must get the tickets for as far as the +cars will carry us." + +The afternoon proved a busy one, but by train time they had completed +their packing, said good-by to the rest of the team, who frankly envied +them their luck, and were snugly ensconced in the day coach, as the +little road had no sleeping cars, and even if they had the frequent +changes they had to make would have made a sleeper not worth while. As +it was, they slept in snatches, had luck in their connections, and +about an hour before dawn stepped off the train at the little station +of Martinsville. + +Both Baseball Joe and Jim Barclay had expected to find the town asleep, +but were surprised to find a large number of the inhabitants, chiefly +the younger men, at the station. Still another group stood in the +lighted doorway of Hank Bixby's garage, which was directly across the +street. + +"What's the big idea?" Jim asked Joe, as he looked in surprise at the +crowd that drew close about them. + +"Blest if I know," replied Joe. "Maybe there's been a fire or +something." + +But they were soon enlightened, as Hank came bustling across the +street, his face aglow with welcome and self-importance. + +"Howdy, Mr. Matson!" he exclaimed, as he wrung Joe's hand. + +"Mr. Matson!" laughed Joe, returning the handshake. "Where do you get +that stuff? What's the matter with Joe?" + +"Well, Joe, then," beamed Hank. "You see, Joe, you've got to be such a +big fellow now, known all over the United States, that I felt a bit shy +about calling you by your first name. I got your wire and mentioned it +to a fellow or two, and by heck it was all over town in no time that +the greatest pitcher in the country was going to be here. This crowd's +been waiting here all night to say howdy to you." + +The people were all crowding around him by now, waiting their turn to +shake hands, and Joe, although embarrassed, as he always was when he +found himself the center of attention, did his best to respond to the +expressions of good will and admiration that were showered upon him. +Jim also came in for his share of the crowd's interest as a promising +and rapidly rising pitcher of the baseball champions of the world. +It was with a sigh of relief that they settled themselves at last in +the speedy car which Hank had provided for them and which he proudly +assured them would "just burn up the road" between Martinsville and +Riverside. + +Joe took the wheel and the car started off, amid a waving of hands and +a roar of farewell from the crowd. + +"Great day for Martinsville," said Jim mischievously, as he settled +down by the side of his chum and the car purred along over the level +road. "How does it feel to be a hero, Joe?" + +"Quit your kidding," replied Joe, with a grin. "If they'd wrung this +old wing of mine much more, McRae would have been minus one of his +pitchers." + +"One of the penalties of greatness," chaffed Jim. + +"And now for home!" exulted Joe, as he put on added speed and the car +leaped forward. + +"And Clara," murmured Jim under his breath, as he thought of Joe's +charming sister. + +Joe did not hear him, for his thoughts were engrossed with Mabel, the +girl who had promised to marry him and who he fondly hoped might be at +this moment dreaming of him, as without her knowledge he was speeding +toward her. She had been visiting at his father's home as the guest of +his sister Clara. Since their trip together around the world the two +girls had become almost inseparable, and Mr. and Mrs. Matson already +regarded Mabel as a second daughter. + +The day for the marriage of Joe and Mabel had not yet been set, but Joe +was determined that it should take place soon, and he hoped that now he +would be able to get Mabel to set a definite date for that happy event. + +Jim, too, had his dreams, and they all centered about Clara. He had +fallen desperately in love with her at their first meeting, and he had +made up his mind that on this visit he would ask the all-important +question, on the answer to which his happiness depended. + +The car dashed along at rapid speed, and as they came near Hebron Joe +roused himself from his reverie. The darkness was disappearing, and in +the faint light of the spring morning they could see a steep hill a +little way ahead. At the side of the road ran a little river, of whose +murmur they had been conscious for some time, although in the darkness +they could scarcely see it. + +"Here's where we'll see whether Hank was bragging overmuch about this +car," remarked Joe, as he tightened his grasp on the wheel and put his +foot on the accelerator. "I'll give her a good start and see how she +can climb." + +The car gathered speed as it neared the bottom of the hill. Joe peered +forward, and then from his lips came a startled shout. + +Directly in front of them, completely blocking the road, was a mass of +heavy timbers. To strike them at that speed meant maiming or death! + +At one side of the road was a steep cliff. On the other side was the +river. + +Joe's brain worked like lightning. There was but one chance. He swung +the wheel around, the car crashed through a fence at the side of the +road, suddenly stopped short, and Joe and Jim were sent headlong into +the river! + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A SURPRISE + + +The water was icy and deep, and at this point the current was swift. +The force with which the luckless occupants of the car had been +propelled sent them far beneath the surface and some distance out into +the stream. + +A moment later their heads appeared above the water, and they struck +out for the shore. Both were strong swimmers, and in a few strokes they +reached the bank. Fortunately they had escaped striking any part of the +car in their wild hurtling through space, and apart from the chill and +wetting were unharmed. + +From the mud at the river's edge, they dragged their dripping feet to +the solid ground of the road. Then they stood still and looked at each +other. The shock and suddenness of it all still affected them, but as +they continued to look at the comical figure that each presented, with +hair plastered over their faces and clothes clinging to their bodies, +their sense of the ludicrous got the better of them and they burst into +laughter. + +"Talk about scarecrows!" gurgled Jim, as he dragged a wet handkerchief +from his pocket and mopped his face in a vain attempt to dry it. + +"None of them have anything on us," admitted Joe, as he threw off his +coat and wrung one dripping trousers leg after the other. + +"If only the team could get a snapshot of us now, they'd kid us for the +rest of our natural lives," remarked Jim. + +"You said it," agreed Joe. "But now," he added more soberly, "just +let's take a look at what it was that so nearly killed us or crippled +us for life." + +They made their way to the mass of timber in the road. At first Jim +thought that it might have fallen off some wagon, unknown to the +driver. But a closer examination showed that this was an error. The +timbers were piled in a way that could have been done only by human +hands, and what made this certain was the fact that rocks had been +placed on either side to prevent the logs from slipping. It was a +formidable barrier, and if the car had dashed into it at the rate it +was going, the occupants would almost certainly have been killed. + +"Whoever put those timbers there meant harm," said Joe solemnly, when +the examination had been completed. + +"It looks that way," agreed Jim. "Whoever did it was a scoundrel who +ought to be in jail." + +"It might have been the work of a crazy man," suggested Joe. + +"As crazy as a fox," rejoined Jim, looking squarely into his chum's +eyes. + +"What do you mean?" asked Joe, in some perplexity. + +"I mean," said Jim, carefully weighing every word, "that the man who +put that mass of timber there was just as sane as you or I. I mean +that he intended that some one should be seriously hurt. I'll go even +further. That man meant to injure Joe Matson, whom he hated with a +deadly hatred." + +"You mean that Braxton did it?" cried Joe. + +"I mean that Braxton did it," replied Jim quietly. + +They stared at each other with strange emotions stirring in their +hearts. And while they stand there, as if turned to stone, it may be +well, for the benefit of those who have not read the earlier volumes of +this series, to trace the fortunes of Baseball Joe up to the time that +this story opens. + +Joe Matson was born in a little inland village of the Middle West, +and grew up in a pleasant home amid wholesome surroundings. His first +experience in the great national game, where he was destined to become +famous as the greatest pitcher of his time, was gained on the simple +diamond of his home town, and his natural aptitude was such that +he soon became known as a rising player all over the county. What +obstacles he met and surmounted at that time are related in the first +volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars." + +Some time later, when playing on his school nine, he had considerable +trouble with a bully who tried to down him, but found out, as so many +trouble makers did later on in life, that Joe Matson was not easily +downed. He put into his playing all that experience, combined with his +native ability, could teach him, and he served an apprenticeship that +stood him in good stead when later he went to Yale. The trials and +triumphs of his school experience are told in the second volume of the +series, entitled: "Baseball Joe on the School Nine." + +With the natural buoyancy of youth, Joe had hoped when he entered Yale +that he would have a chance to show his mettle in the box in some of +the great annual games that Yale played with Harvard and Princeton. +There were many rivals, however, for the honor, including those who had +already won their spurs in actual contests. But Joe's light was not +made to shine under a bushel, and one day when the cohorts of Princeton +came down in their orange and black prepared to "tie the can" to the +Bulldog's tail, Joe got his chance and sent a very bedraggled Tiger +back to his lair in Princeton. How Joe won gloriously is told in the +third volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball Joe at Yale." + +Though he enjoyed his college days at Yale, stood high in his studies, +and was popular with his mates, he felt that he was not cut out for one +of the learned professions. His mother had hoped that he would be a +clergyman and had been urgent in having him adopt that profession. But +Joe, though he respected the noble aims of that calling, was not drawn +to it. It was the open air life that he craved and for which he was +fitted, and the scholastic calm of a study had little attraction for +him. He felt that he had it in him to win supremacy in athletic fields. + +His mother, of course, was greatly disappointed when she learned how +he felt, but she was too wise to insist on her plan when she realized +that it was contrary to his special gifts. She knew very little about +baseball, but she had the impression that it was no place for an +educated man. The fact, however, that so many college men were entering +the ranks of professional baseball was made the most of by Joe, and she +finally yielded to his wishes. + +His chance was not long in coming, for he was soon picked up by one +of the scouts who are always looking for "diamonds in the rough," and +was offered a contract with the Pittston team of the Central League. +The League was a minor one, but Joe had already learned that a man +who proved that he had the makings of a star in him would soon have +an opportunity with one of the majors. How speedily his ability was +proved and recognized is narrated in the fourth volume of the series, +entitled: "Baseball Joe in the Central League." + +From the bushes to the National League was a big jump, but Joe made +it when he was drafted into the ranks of the St. Louis Cardinals. The +team was in the second division when Joe came into action, and was +altogether out of the running for the championship. But Joe's twirling +was just what it needed to put new heart and life into it, and before +the season ended it had climbed into the first division and if the race +had been a little longer might have made a big stroke for the pennant. +The story of the team's climb, with all its exciting episodes, is told +in the fifth volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball Joe in the Big +League." + +McRae, the crafty and resourceful manager of the New York Giants, had +had his eye on Joe all the season, and when the race was ended he made +an offer for him that the St. Louis management could not refuse. Now, +indeed, Joe felt that the ambition of his life was in a fair way to +be realized. McRae had intended to bring him along slowly, so that he +could be thoroughly seasoned, but circumstances put on him the heft of +the pitching, and how fully he justified his manager's confidence is +narrated in the sixth volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball Joe on +the Giants." + +After the winning of the National League Championship by the Giants, +came the World Series with the Boston Red Sox, who had won the title +that year in the American League. The Sox were a hard team to beat, +and the Giants had their work cut out for them. In addition to the +strain of the games in which he was slated to pitch, Joe had to contend +with the foul tactics of a gang of gamblers who had wagered heavily +on the Sox and did all they could to put Joe out of action. But his +indomitable will and quick wit triumphed over all obstacles, and his +magnificent pitching in the last game of the series won the World's +Championship for the Giants. The story of that stirring fight is told +in the seventh volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball Joe in the +World Series." + +During these experiences, Joe had not escaped the toils of Cupid. +Mabel Varley, a charming young girl, had been rescued by Joe at the +moment that a runaway horse was about to carry her over a cliff. The +romantic acquaintanceship thus begun soon grew into a deep affection, +and Joe knew that Mabel held the happiness of his life in her hands. +Jim Barclay, also, a promising young Princeton man and second string +pitcher for the Giants, who was Joe's special chum, had grown very +fond of Clara, Joe's pretty sister, and hoped that some day she would +promise to be his wife. + +The World Series had scarcely ended before Joe and Jim were invited by +McRae to make a trip around the world with the Giant and All-American +teams. They were eager for the chance, and their delight was increased +when it developed that there were to be a number of wives of the +players in the party so that Mabel and Clara could go along. + +The teams played in Japan, in China, and in many of the cities of +Europe, and the experience would have been a thoroughly happy one +for Joe, had it not been for the machinations of men who were trying +to form a rival league and had by the meanest trickery secured Joe's +signature to what afterward turned out to be a contract. How Joe +finally unmasked the plotters and had the satisfaction of giving the +ringleader a tremendous thrashing is narrated in the preceding volume +of the series, entitled: "Baseball Joe Around the World." + +And now to return to Joe and Jim, as they stood in their dripping +clothes on the country road in the growing light of the spring morning. + +For some seconds after Jim's startling statement, Joe stood as though +rooted to the spot. Then he pulled himself together. + +"Come now, Jim, isn't that pretty far-fetched?" he said, with a forced +laugh, in which, however, there was little mirth. "You haven't a shred +of proof of anything of the kind." + +"No," admitted Jim, "there isn't anything--yet--that would convince a +judge or a jury. I'll agree that it wouldn't go far in a court of law. +But just put two and two together. Yesterday afternoon we were talking +about this trip. You distinctly mentioned the hill near Hebron. It was +just after you spoke that I saw Braxton pass the door." + +"Thought you saw," corrected Joe. + +"All right, then," said Jim patiently, "let it go at that--thought +I saw Braxton passing the door. Now just suppose for a minute +that I was right and see what comes of it. The man who hates you +worse, probably, than any man on earth--the man to whom you gave a +terrible thrashing--knew that you would be driving a car just before +daylight--knew that you would have to climb a hill--knew that as you +got near it you'd probably put on speed to carry the car up--knew that +an obstacle put near the bottom of the hill would almost certainly +wreck the car and hurt the driver. Knowing all this, might not such a +man as we know Braxton to be see his chance and take it?" + +There was silence for a moment. Then: + +"It certainly sounds strong the way you put it," Joe said thoughtfully. +"But how on earth could Braxton get here in time to do all this? Think +of the distance." + +"It isn't so great a distance," rejoined Jim. "That is, if a man came +straight across country in a speedy car for instance. It seemed long +to us because of the roundabout way we had to go by train. Then too +that was early in the afternoon, and Braxton could have had four hours' +start of us. He's a rich man and probably has a fast car. He could have +made it all right and got here hours ago." + +"Yes, but even then," argued Joe, "he couldn't have done it all alone. +It's as much as you and I can do together to handle these timbers." + +"That's true," conceded Jim. "But he may have had one or more +confederates with him. Money you know can do almost anything. I +shouldn't wonder if that fellow Fleming helped him. He owed you a debt +too, you remember, and the pair were as thick as thieves on the world +tour." + +"Well, it may be just as you say," replied Joe. "But I hate to think +that any man hates me so badly as to try to injure me in such a +cowardly way as that. At any rate, it won't do any harm for us to keep +our eyes open in the future. But we've got plenty of time to think of +that. Now let's get busy and hustle these timbers over to the side of +the road so that nobody else can run into them. Then we'll take a look +at the car." + +They set to work with a will, and in a few minutes had removed the +obstacles from the road. + +"Now for the machine," said Joe, as he led the way to the river bank. +"I've got an idea that what we owe Hank will put a dent in our bank +rolls." + +To their delight they found, however, that, apart from superficial +injuries, the car seemed to be intact. The wind shield had been +shattered and the mud guards were badly bent. But the axles seemed +to be sound, the wheels were in place, and as far as they could +judge there had been no injury to the engine. To all appearances the +expenditure of a hundred dollars would put the car in good shape again. + +But the wheels were so firmly imbedded in the mud of the shore that +despite all their efforts they could not budge the car. They strained +and pushed and lifted, but to no avail. Joe climbed into the driver's +seat and set the engine going, but the car was stubborn and refused to +back. + +"Swell chance of our getting home in time for breakfast," grumbled Joe, +as he stopped to rest for a moment. + +"Lucky if we get there in time for supper," muttered Jim. "We'll have +to go somewhere and borrow a shovel so that we can dig the wheels out +of the mud." + +But just at this moment they heard the rumbling of a cart, and running +to the road they saw it coming, drawn by two stout horses, while the +driver sat handling the reins in leisurely fashion. + +They waved their hands and the cart came to a halt, the driver scanning +curiously the two young men who had appeared so unexpectedly from the +side of the road. He was a bluff, jovial person, and his eyes twinkled +with amusement as he noted the wet garments that were clinging to their +limbs. + +"Been taking a bath with all your clothes on?" he asked, as he got down +from his seat. + +"Something like that," replied Joe, with a laugh, "but the bath came as +a sort of surprise party. The road was blocked, and it was either the +morgue or the river for us, so we chose the river." + +"Road blocked?" repeated the newcomer, looking about with a puzzled +expression. "I don't get you. Looks clear enough to me." + +"It wouldn't if you'd been here half an hour ago," replied Joe, +and then, as the man listened with interest that soon changed to +indignation, he recounted briefly the events of the morning. + +"Whoever did that ought to be jailed," he burst out, when the boys had +concluded their story. "And he can't be very far away, either. This +road was clear when I passed over it last night. Jump in and I'll drive +you into town and we can send out an alarm." + +"Not much use of that I'm afraid," replied Joe. "The man or men may be +fifty miles away by this time. But if you'll give us a hand to get this +auto out of the mud, you'll do us a big favor." + +"Sure I'll help you," said the friend in need, whose name they learned +was Thompson. "I've got a spade right here in the cart. We'll dig +around the wheels a little. Then I'll hitch a trace chain to the +machine and my horses will yank it out in a jiffy." + +A few minutes of work sufficed to clear the wheels. Then boards were +placed behind them, the chain was attached to the rear axle, and the +horses drew the car back into the road. + +It presented rather a forlorn appearance, but the boys cared little for +that. What they were far more concerned about was their own bedraggled +condition. + +"We match the car all right," remarked Jim disgustedly, as he looked at +his own clothes and those of his companion. + +"It will never do to let Mabel and Clara see us like this," responded +Joe lugubriously. + +"Don't let that worry you," laughed their new friend. "Just drive into +town and stop at Eph Allen's tailor shop. It's pretty early, but Eph +sleeps in the back of his shop and he'll let you in and fix you up in +no time." + +This was evidently the best thing to be done, and the young men, after +repeated thanks to their newly made friend and with fullest directions +as to how to find the tailor shop in question, jumped into the auto and +started on the way back to Hebron. + +"Old bus seems to work as well as ever," commented Joe, as the car +moved on without any visible evidence of injury. + +"That's one bit of good luck," replied Jim. "And it's certainly coming +to us to make up in part for the bad." + +They thanked their stars that it was too early yet for many people to +be stirring in the town, and were relieved when they found themselves +in front of Allen's shop. Eph must have been a pretty sound sleeper, +for it took a good deal of knocking to wake him up, and when at last he +thrust his tousled head through the door to ask what was wanted, he was +not in the best of temper. But as soon as he learned the circumstances +that had occasioned the early call, he became at once all interest and +attention, and hustled about to put their clothes in presentable shape. + +It was a fairly good job that he at length turned out after he had +ironed and pressed their suits, though they had by no means the Beau +Brummel effect with which the boys had planned to impress the girls. + +By this time the sun had fully risen and Joe looked at his watch. + +"Perhaps we'll be in time to catch them at breakfast yet," he remarked. +"It's only about twenty miles from here to Riverside. Maybe they won't +be surprised when we break in on them. They don't think we're within +several hundred miles of them." + +"Perhaps we ought to have telegraphed that we were coming," said Jim. + +"It might have been just as well, I suppose," admitted Joe. "But that +would have taken away the fun of the surprise. I want to see the look +on their faces." + +"Of course we won't say anything about what happened to us this +morning," suggested Jim, as the machine bowled along over a road that +with every minute that passed was growing more familiar. + +"Not on your life," replied Joe earnestly. "None of them would ever +have another easy minute. They'd be seeing our mangled remains every +night in their dreams. All we'll tell them is that we had a little +spill and got wet. But not a word about the blocked road or what we +suspect regarding Braxton." + +Before long they were passing the straggling houses that marked the +outskirts of Riverside. Joe pulled his cap down over his eyes so that +he would not be recognized and stopped by any of the people of the +town, where he was regarded as something of an idol. All he wanted to +do was to get to his family and Mabel, or, as perhaps he would have put +it, get to Mabel and his family. + +His ruse was successful, for there was no sign of recognition from the +few he passed on the streets, and in a few minutes he brought the car +to a stop in front of the Matson home. + +The young men jumped out, and with Joe leading the way ran lightly up +the steps. He tried the front door and found that it yielded to his +touch. With his finger on his lips as a warning to Jim, he tiptoed +softly through the hall to the door of the dining room. + +The odor of coffee and bacon came to them and from the click of plates +and cups, as well as the murmur of several voices, they knew that the +family was still at the breakfast table. + +Joe waited no longer but threw open the door. + +"Hello, folks!" he cried. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +REGGIE TURNS UP + + +If Joe had counted upon producing a surprise, his success surpassed his +wildest expectations. + +At first there was a second of paralyzed silence. Then there was a wild +hubbub of delighted cries, as four figures started up from the table +and launched themselves upon the stalwart figure that stood framed in +the doorway. + +"Joe!" "Mabel!" "Clara!" "Momsey!" "Dad!" "Jim!" The names were repeated +in quick succession and were punctuated with hugs and kisses. + +In a moment Joe had his right arm around Mabel, his left about his +mother, while Clara had thrown her arms about his neck and his father +was attempting to get hold of one of his hands. There was no doubt of +the warmth of that welcome. + +[Illustration: THERE WAS NO DOUBT OF THE WARMTH OF THAT WELCOME.] + +Nor was Jim left out in the cold. Joe naturally had the center of the +stage, but after the first rapturous greeting had passed, they all made +Jim feel how delighted they were that he had come along with Joe. In +Clara's eyes especially there was a look that Jim hoped he read aright. +Her flushed and sparkling face was alive with happiness that might not +be due altogether to the return of her brother, dearly as she loved him. + +For a few minutes questions and answers followed close on each other's +heels, and it was Mrs. Matson at last who suggested that probably the +boys were hungry. They agreed with her emphatically that they were. The +girls flew about, and in a short time fresh coffee and hot biscuits and +bacon and eggs were set before them in tempting profusion. Then while +they ate like famished wolves, the others, who had been just finishing +breakfast when they burst in upon them, sat about the table and talked +and laughed and beamed to their hearts' content. Perhaps in all the +broad land there was no happier group than was gathered about that +table in the little town of Riverside. + +"You ought to have telegraphed that you were coming, Joe," said Mrs. +Matson. "Then we could have had a good breakfast ready for you." + +"What do you call this?" laughed Joe, as he helped himself to another +biscuit, watching at the same time the bewitching way in which Mabel +was pouring him another cup of coffee. "There couldn't be anything +better than this this side of kingdom come." + +"You're right there, old man," observed Jim, his own appetite keeping +pace with that of his chum. + +"Seems to me, Joe, that your clothes look a little seedy this morning," +Clara remarked, with a sister's frankness, during a moment's pause +in the conversation. "The last time you came home you looked like a +fashion plate. But now your shirt front is wrinkled, your collar is +wilted, and the colors in your necktie have run together. Looks as +though you'd got wet through and hadn't dried out yet." + +"Perhaps they've been in the river," laughed Mabel gaily, little +thinking how near she came to hitting the nail on the head. + +Mrs. Matson's motherly heart was quick to take alarm. + +"What's that?" she asked. "Nothing really has happened to you, has it, +Joe?" she inquired, looking anxiously at her son, who after one glare +at the sister who had precipitated the topic, was trying to assume an +air of nonchalance. + +But this direct inquiry from his mother left him no recourse except to +tell her a part of the truth, though not necessarily the whole truth. + +"We did have a little spill this morning," he returned indifferently. +"I turned the car a little too much to the right and we went through +a fence and into a little stream at the side of the road. Jim and I +got wet, but after we got over being mad we had a good laugh over it. +Neither one of us was a bit hurt, and it's only our clothes that got +the worst of it." + +"Oh, but you might have been killed!" exclaimed Mrs. Matson, clasping +her hands together nervously. "You must be more careful, Joe. It would +break my heart if anything happened to you." + +"Don't worry a bit, Momsey," replied Joe, placing his hand affectionately +over hers. "Only the good die young, you know, and that makes me safe." + +They all pressed him for the details of the accident, and he and Jim +both made light of it, making a joke out of their plight and their +visit to the tailor, so that apprehension vanished, and after a while +the matter was dropped. + +Joe was eager for a chance to get alone with Mabel, and Jim was quite +as keen for a tête-à -tête with Clara. The girls were quite as eager, +but as there was no servant in the simple little household the girls +flew around to clear the table, while Joe had a chance for a quiet talk +with his mother, and Jim beguiled his impatience by going out on the +porch with Mr. Matson for a smoke before the latter had to go downtown +to business. + +"How have you been feeling, Momsey?" Joe asked when they had settled +down in a cosy corner of the living room. "It seems to me that you're +a little thinner than you were." + +"I'm not feeling any too well," replied Mrs. Matson. "I have trouble +with my breathing whenever I go up or down stairs. But I'll be all +right pretty soon," she added, with an attempt at brightness. + +"I'm afraid you've been working too hard, Momsey," replied Joe, patting +her hand. "Why don't you let me get you a maid to help out with the +work? The money doesn't matter, and you know how glad I'd be to bear +the expense." + +"I don't want any regular servant, Joe," replied Mrs. Matson. "I +haven't been used to one, and she'd be more bother than help. We have a +wash woman. There isn't much to be done in this little house, and Clara +is the dearest girl. If I did what she wanted, I'd just fold my hands +and sit around in the living room. And Mabel, too, has spoiled me since +she's been here. She's already like a second daughter to me." + +"She'll be really your daughter before long, if I have anything to say +about it," replied Joe. "I'm going to put it right up to her to marry +me while I'm here this time." + +Mrs. Matson was both delighted and flustered at the boldness of this +announcement. + +"You take my breath away, talking like that," she replied. "But I'm +afraid Mabel won't let herself be carried off her feet in that way. A +girl wants to get her trousseau ready. And then, too, she'll want to be +married in her father's house. You're a dear boy, Joe, but you've got a +lot to learn about women." + +"Mabel will agree all right," replied Joe confidently, though his +masculine assurance had been slightly dashed by his mother's prediction. + +The opportunity to make sure about that important matter came a few +minutes later, when Mabel came into the room looking more lovely, Joe +thought, than he had ever seen her before. Mrs. Matson lingered only a +moment longer, and then made an excuse to leave the room. The door had +hardly closed behind her before Mabel was in Joe's arms. + +It was a long time before they were able to talk coherently, and when +at last Mabel told Joe that he was too greedy and laughingly bade him +be sensible, she was more rosy and beautiful than ever, and Joe was +deeper in love than before, if that could be possible. + +Joe was not long in putting his mother's prediction to the test. + +"Do you remember what Jim said when we said good-by to McRae after the +World Tour was over?" he asked, with a twinkle in his eye. + +The flush in Mabel's cheeks deepened. + +"Jim talks so much nonsense," she countered. + +"Think a minute." Joe was jogging her memory. "Wasn't it something +about bells?" + +"How should I remember?" asked Mabel, though she did remember perfectly. + +"Well, I remember," said Joe. "He said I'd soon be hearing wedding +bells. Now do you remember?" + +"Y-yes," admitted Mabel at last, hiding her face on Joe's shoulder, +which was very close to her. + +"I want to hear those wedding bells, very soon, dearest," said Joe +tenderly. "Next week--this week--to-morrow----" + +Mabel sat up with a little scream. + +"Next week--this week--to-morrow!" she repeated. "Why, Joe dear, we +can't!" + +"Why can't we?" asked Joe with masculine directness. + +"Why--why--we just can't," replied Mabel. "I haven't got my wedding +clothes ready. And I'll have to be married in my own home. What would +my family think? What would my friends think? It would look like a +runaway affair. People would talk. Oh, Joe dear, I'd love to, but I +just can't. Don't you see I can't?" + +Joe did not see at all, and he renewed his importunities with all his +powers of persuasion. But Mabel, though she softened her refusal with +lover-like endearments, was set in her convictions, and Joe at last +was forced to confess in his heart with a groan that his mother was +right, and that he had a lot to learn about women. + +He suggested in desperation that they go on at once to her home in +Goldsboro and be married there, but although that would have taken away +one of her arguments, the others still continued in full force, and she +added another for good measure. + +"You see, Joe, dear, your mother isn't well enough just now to travel +so far, and it would break her heart if she weren't present at our +marriage. By fall she may be better." + +"By fall!" echoed Joe in dismay. "Have I got to wait that long?" + +"I think it would be better, dear," said Mabel gently. "You see if we +got married any time after the baseball season had commenced, you would +find it hard to get away from your club. In any case, our honeymoon +trip would have to be very short. Then, too, if I traveled about the +circuit with you, you'd have me on your mind, and it might affect your +playing. But I promise you that we shall get married in the fall, just +as soon as the baseball season is over." + +And as she sealed this promise in the way that Joe liked best, he was +forced to be content. + +The days passed by, as though on wings, with Joe grudging every minute +as it passed that brought him nearer to the day when he would have to +rejoin his team. The hours were precious and he spent every one of them +that he could with Mabel. + +Jim, too, was finding his vacation delightful. He was getting on +famously with Clara, and the latter's heart was learning to beat very +fast when she heard the step and saw the face of the handsome young +athlete. The prospects were very good that two weddings would be +celebrated in the fall, and that Baseball Joe would gain not only a +wife but a brother-in-law. + +During that week the moon was at its full, and almost every night +saw the two couples out for a stroll. They would start out from the +house together and walk down the village street, with only a few yards +separating them. However, they usually lost sight of each other before +they had gone far. + +Joe was happy, supremely happy. Mabel had never been so dear, so +affectionate. He knew that he possessed her heart utterly. Yet there +was a faint something, a mysterious impression to which he could +scarcely give a name, that at times marred his happiness and caused him +to feel depressed. He chased the feeling away, and yet it returned. + +There were moments when Mabel grew quiet and seemed as though brooding +over something. Her face would become sad, and only brighten with a +gayety that seemed a little forced, when she saw that he was studying +her and seeking to learn what troubled her. At times she would cling to +him as though she feared he was to be taken from her. Once or twice he +questioned her, but she laughed his fears away and declared that there +was nothing the matter. Despite her denials, he remained vaguely uneasy. + +The day before his brief vacation came to an end there was a ring at +the bell of the Matson home. Mabel, who happened to be in the hall at +the time, opened the door. There was an exclamation of surprise and +delight as the newcomer threw his arms about her. + +"Reggie!" + +"Mabel!" + +There was a fond embrace, and then Mabel came into the living room +where the family were assembled, while close behind her came Reggie +Varley, her brother, the same old Reggie, monocle, cane, lisp, English +clothes, English accent, fancy waistcoat, fitted in topcoat, spats and +all--a vision of sartorial splendor! + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE ANONYMOUS LETTER + + +All rose to their feet in hearty welcome. It was not the first time +Reggie had visited the Matson home, and all were fond of him. Joe and +Jim especially gave him a hilarious greeting. + +"Hello, Reggie, old man," cried Joe, as he shook hands. "I'm tickled to +death to see you. What good wind blew you down this way? I didn't think +you were within a thousand miles of here." + +"Well, old top," explained Reggie, as he gracefully drew off his gloves +and divested himself of his topcoat, "it was so beastly quiet in +Goldsboro, don't y'know, that I got fed up with it and when the guv'nor +suggested that there was a bit of business I could attend to in Chicago +I just blew the bally town and ran out there. Then bein' so near, I +thought I'd run down and see Sis and the rest of you. It's simply +rippin' to see y'all again, don't y'know." + +He sat down in a chair, carefully adjusting his trousers so as not to +mar the creases in the legs, and beamed blandly upon the friendly +faces that surrounded him. + +Joe and Reggie had first met under rather unpleasant circumstances, +that bore no promise of a close friendship later on. Reggie had left +his bag in a seat of a railroad station while he went to buy his +ticket. Upon his return he missed his bag, which had been left in a +seat adjoining the one in which Joe had in the meantime seated himself, +and had practically accused Joe of taking it. As may be readily +imagined, Joe was not the one to take lightly such an accusation, and +Reggie had to apologize. It was only after Joe had met Mabel that he +again encountered Reggie and learned that he was the girl's brother. +But apart from his relationship to Mabel, Joe had found further reason +for liking Reggie, as time wore on and he became better acquainted with +him. + +Reggie had never been restrained much by his father, who was rich and +indulgent. He had an inordinate love of fine clothes and an affectation +of English customs and manner of speech. But these, after all, were +foibles, and at heart Reggie was "true blue." He was a staunch friend, +generous, kindly and honorable. He idolized his charming sister, who in +return was devotedly attached to him. + +Another thing that strengthened the friendship between Joe and Reggie +was that they were both ardent lovers of the great national game. +Reggie was a "dyed-in-the-wool fan," and though his general information +was none too great he had the records of individual players and the +history of the game at his tongue's end, and could rattle on for an +hour on a stretch when he once got started on his favorite theme. He +was a great admirer of Joe as a player, and intensely proud that he was +going to be his brother-in-law. Whenever the Giants played and Joe was +slated to pitch, the latter could be perfectly certain that Reggie, +even if he chanced to be at the time in San Francisco, was "rooting" +for him to win. + +Jim also had met Reggie frequently and liked him thoroughly. The other +members of the Matson family liked him, both for Mabel's sake and his +own. So it was a very friendly circle into which Reggie had come so +unexpectedly. + +"But I didn't expect to see you two chaps here," said Reggie, as he +looked from Joe to Jim. "I thought you were down in the training camp, +or else on your way to New York with the rest of the Giants." + +"It was just a bit of luck that we are here," replied Joe. "McRae +thought that we were trained fine enough, and might go stale if we +worked out in practice any longer. He wants us to be at the top of our +form when the bell rings at the Polo Grounds." + +"Bally good sense, I call it, too," replied Reggie, looking admiringly +at their athletic forms. "Just now you look fit to fight for a man's +life, don't y'know." + +"Never felt better," admitted Joe. "Nor happier either," he added, as +he glanced at Mabel, who dropped her eyes before his ardent look. + +"You came just in time to see the boys," put in Mrs. Matson. "They're +starting to-morrow for New York." + +"Bah Jove, I'd like to go with them," said Reggie. "I'd give a lot to +see that opening game on the Polo Grounds. But this beastly business in +Chicago will make it necessary for me to go back there in a few days. +In the meantime I thought that perhaps you might put me up here for a +little while, don't y'know?" + +He looked toward Mr. Matson as he spoke, and both he and Mrs. Matson +hastened to assure the young man that they would be only too glad to do +so. + +All had a lot to talk about, and the evening passed quickly, until at +last Mrs. Matson excused herself on the plea that she wanted to see +about Reggie's room. Mr. Matson soon followed, and the young people +were left to themselves. + +"Well, what do you think the chances are of the Giants copping the flag +again, old top?" asked Reggie, as he pulled down his cuffs and put up +his hand to make sure that his immaculate tie was all right. + +"The Giants look mighty sweet to me," answered Joe. "They've had a +good training season and shown up well in practice. They've won every +game they've played with the minor leaguers so far, and haven't had to +exert themselves. Of course that doesn't mean very much in itself, as +the bushers ought to be easy meat for us. But we've got practically the +same team with which we won the pennant last year, and I can't see why +we shouldn't repeat. Jim here has been coming along like a house afire, +and he'll make the fans sit up and take notice when they see him in +action." + +"Oh, I'm only an also ran," said Jim modestly. + +"Indeed you're not," Clara started to say indignantly, but checked +herself in time. Not so quickly, however, that Jim failed to catch her +meaning and note the flush that rose to her cheek. + +"Funny thing happened when I was in Chicago," mused Reggie. "I heard a +chap say in one of the hotels that there was heavy betting against the +Giants winning this year. Some one, he didn't know who, was putting up +cash in great wads against them, and doing it with such confidence that +it almost seemed as though he thought he was betting on a sure thing. +Taking ridiculous odds too. Queer, wasn't it?" + +"A fool and his money are soon parted," remarked Joe. "That fellow +will be a little wiser and a good deal poorer when the season ends, or +I miss my guess. Who's going to beat us out? Nothing short of a train +wreck can stop us." + +"Now you're talking!" cried Jim. + +"Another thing that's going to help us," said Joe, "was that trip we +had around the world. We had some mighty hot playing on that tour +against the All-Americans, and it kept the boys in fine fettle." + +"Speaking about that trip, old chap," put in Reggie, "reminds me of +another thing that happened in Chicago. I was going down State Street +one afternoon, and almost ran into that Braxton that you handed such a +trimming to over in Ireland." + +"Braxton!" cried Joe. + +"Braxton!" echoed Jim. + +"Sure thing," replied Reggie, mildly puzzled at the agitation that the +name aroused in the two chums. "I'm not spoofing you. Braxton it was, +as large as life. The bounder recognized me and started to speak, but +I gave him the glassy eye and he thought better of it and passed on. +Funny what a little world it is, don't y'know." + +"It surely is a little world," replied Jim, as a significant glance +passed between him and Joe. + +"I glanced back," Reggie went on, "and saw him getting into a car +drawn up at the curb. As classy a machine as I've seen, too, for a long +time. Built for speed, y'know. If he hadn't driven off too quickly, I'd +have made a note of the make. My own is getting rather old, and I've +been thinking about replacing it." + +The conversation turned into other channels and finally began to drag a +little. The others made no sign of being ready to retire, and at last +Reggie woke to the fact that he would have to make the first move. +He looked at his watch, remarked that he was rather tired after his +journey, and thought that he would "pound the pillow." + +Joe showed him to his room, chatted with him a few minutes, and then +returned to the living room where he found Mabel alone, as Clara and +Jim had drifted into the dining room. It was the last night the boys +would have at home, and the two young couples had a lot to talk about. +To Jim especially the time was very precious, for he had made up his +mind to ask a very momentous question, and there is little doubt but +that Clara knew it was coming and had already made up her mind how it +should be answered. + +It was an exceedingly agitated Jim that asked Mr. Matson for a private +interview the next morning, and it was an exceedingly happy Jim that +emerged from the room a few minutes later and announced to the family +already seated at the breakfast table that Clara had promised to be +his wife. There was a stampede from the chairs, to the imminent danger +of the coffee being upset, and Clara was hugged and kissed by Mabel +and hugged and kissed and cried over by her mother, while Jim's hand +was almost wrung off by Joe and Reggie in the general jubilation. For +Jim was a splendid fellow, a Princeton graduate, a rising man in his +chosen calling, and an all round good fellow. And there was no sweeter +or prettier girl than Clara in all Riverside, or, as Jim stood ready to +maintain, in the whole world. + +Needless to say that for the rest of that morning Reggie and Joe had +no other masculine society than each could furnish to the other, for +Jim had shamelessly abandoned them. Soon Reggie, too, had to chum with +himself, as Joe and Mabel had found a sequestered corner and seemed to +be dead to the rest of the world. + +Just before noon, however, when Mabel had gone in to help Mrs. Matson +to prepare lunch, Joe had a chance to talk with Reggie alone. + +"Mabel's looking rippin', don't you think?" remarked Reggie, as he +caught a glimpse of his sister passing the door of the room in which +they sat. + +"Most beautiful girl that lives," returned Joe, with enthusiasm. + +"I guess she's stopped worrying about----" began Reggie, and then +checked himself as though he had said more than he intended to. + +"Worrying about what?" asked Joe, with the quick apprehension of a +lover. + +"Oh, about--about things in general," replied Reggie, in some confusion +and evading Joe's searching eyes. + +"Look here, Reggie," said Joe with decision. "If anything's worrying +Mabel, I've got a right to know what it is. I've noticed lately that +she seemed to have something on her mind. Come now, out with it." + +Reggie still tried to put him off, but Joe would have none of it. + +"I've got to know, Reggie," he declared. "You've simply got to tell me." + +Reggie pondered a moment. + +"Well, old top," he said at last, "I suppose you have a right to know, +and perhaps it's best that you should know. The fact is that Mabel +got a letter a little while ago telling her that it would be a sorry +day for her if she ever married Joe Matson. Threatened all sorts of +terrible things against you, don't y'know." + +"What!" cried Joe, wild with rage and leaping to his feet. "The +scoundrel! The coward! Who signed that letter? What's his name? If I +ever lay my hands on him, may heaven have mercy on him, for I won't!" + +"That's the worst of it," replied Reggie. "There wasn't any name signed +to it. The bounder who wrote it took good care of that." + +"But the handwriting!" cried Joe. "Perhaps I can recognize it. Where is +the letter? Give it to me." + +"I haven't got it with me," Reggie explained. "It's at my home in +Goldsboro. The poor girl had to confide in somebody, so she sent it to +me. And even if you had it, it wouldn't tell you anything. It was in +typewriting." + +"But the postmark!" ejaculated Joe. "Perhaps that would give a clue. +Where did it come from?" + +"There again we're stumped," responded Reggie. "It was postmarked +Chicago. But that doesn't do us any good, for there are two million +people in Chicago." + +"Oh!" cried Joe, as he walked the floor and clenched his fists until +the nails dug into his palms. "The beastliness of it! The cowardice of +it! An anonymous letter! That such a villain should dare to torture the +dearest girl in the world! But somewhere, somehow, I'll hunt him out +and thrash him soundly." + +"Don't take the beastly thing so much to heart," returned Reggie. "Of +course it's just a bluff by some bally bounder. Nobody ought to do +anything with such a letter but tear it up and think no more about +it. Some coward has done it that has a grudge against you, but he'd +probably never have the nerve to carry out his threats." + +"It isn't that I care about," answered Joe. "I've always been able to +take care of myself. I'd like nothing better than to have the rascal +come out in the open and try to make his bluff good. But it's Mabel +I'm thinking about. You know a woman doesn't dismiss those things as a +man would. She worries her heart out about it. So that's what has been +weighing on her mind, poor, dear girl. Oh, if I only had my hands on +the fellow that wrote that letter!" + +And here he yielded again to a justified rage that was terrible to +behold. It would have been a bad day for the rascally writer of that +anonymous letter if he had suddenly stood revealed in the presence of +Joe Matson! + + + + +CHAPTER V + +"PLAY BALL!" + + +Just then Mabel came in with her hands full of flowers that she meant +to arrange for the table. She stopped short in consternation as she saw +the thundercloud on Joe's brow. For a moment she thought that he and +Reggie had been quarreling. + +"Oh, Joe, what is it?" she asked in alarm. + +Joe looked at her lovingly and his brow cleared. + +"Nothing, honey," he said, as he came up to her and slipped his arm +around her. "It's only that I've just found out from Reggie what it is +that's been worrying you." + +Mabel shot a reproachful glance at Reggie, who looked a little +embarrassed. + +"Joe got it out of me, Sis," he explained. "Said he had a right to know +and all that sort of thing, don't y'know. And 'pon honor, Sis, I don't +know but what he's right about it." + +"Of course I'm right about it," affirmed Joe. "There can't be anything +now that concerns Mabel that doesn't concern me. Don't you agree with +me, dearest?" + +"I suppose so," returned Mabel, as Joe drew her closer. "But, oh, Joe, +I didn't want to distress you about it. I was afraid that it would +weigh on your mind and affect your work this season, and I knew how +your heart was set on making a record. It was just for your sake, +dearest, that I kept it to myself. Of course I would have told you +sooner or later." + +"Well, now Mabel, listen to me," said Joe, as he placed a chair and sat +down beside her. "I don't know what fellow has done this. But whoever +he is, he is a coward as well as a rascal, and will never dare to carry +out his threats against me. And even if he should, you know that I am +perfectly able to take care of myself. You know that others have tried +to injure me, but I always came out on top. Fleming tried it; Braxton +tried it, and you know what happened to them. Now what I want you to +promise me is to banish this beastly thing entirely from your memory. +Treat it with the contempt it deserves. Will you promise me this?" + +"I will promise, Joe," answered Mabel. "I'll try to forget that it ever +happened." + +"That's the girl," commended Joe. "And to set your mind at rest I'll +promise on my part to take especially good care of myself. That's a +bargain." + +But while Joe had secured the promise of Mabel to forget the letter, +he had made no such promise himself, and he vowed that if he could +ever get any trace of the writer of that letter he would give him the +punishment he so richly deserved. + +The train Baseball Joe and Jim Barclay would take was to leave late +that afternoon. + +Somehow general knowledge of that fact had got abroad, and the +boys were dismayed, on reaching the station, to find that half the +population of the little town had gathered there to say good-by and +wish them luck. To many of the townspeople, Joe was a bigger man than +the President of the United States. He had put Riverside "on the map," +and through the columns of the papers they followed his triumphs and +felt that in a sense they were their own. + +Of course Joe appreciated this affectionate interest, but just at the +moment all he wanted was to be alone with Mabel. He had already bidden +his mother a loving farewell at the house, as she was not well enough +to go to the station. Jim also had eyes and thoughts only for Clara. + +But there was no help for it, and they had to exchange greetings and +good wishes with the kindly friends who clustered around them. At the +last minute, however, the young folks had a chance to say a few words +to each other, and what they did not have time to say was eloquent in +their eyes. + +The train moved off, and the boys leaned far out of the windows and +waved to the girls as long as they were in sight. Then they settled +back in their seats, and for a long time were engrossed in their +thoughts. Usually they were full of chaff and banter, but to-day it was +some time before they roused themselves from reverie and paid attention +to the realities around them. + +It was after they had come back from the dining car after supper that +Joe told Jim about his interview with Reggie and the anonymous letter. +Jim's wrath was almost as great as that which had shaken Joe himself. + +"And the worst of it is," said Joe, "that there doesn't seem the +slightest chance of getting hold of the cowardly fellow that did it. +You might as well look for a needle in a haystack." + +"Yes," agreed Jim, "that's the exasperating feature of it. It may be +the work of gamblers who have bet against the Giants and want to worry +you so that you won't pitch your best ball. Some of those fellows will +do anything for money. Or it may have been done by some enemy who chose +that way of striking in the dark." + +"If it's an enemy," mused Joe, "that narrows it down. There's old +Bugs Hartley, but I don't think he has intelligence enough to write a +letter. Then there's Fleming, with whom I'm just about as popular as +poison ivy. Add to that Braxton and a few old-time enemies, and you've +about completed the list." + +"I wouldn't put it past Braxton," remarked Jim thoughtfully. "That +fellow's a rattlesnake. He wouldn't stop at anything to get even with +you." + +"I hate to think he'd stoop as low as to try to strike me through a +woman," replied Joe. "But, by Jove!" he went on, as a thought struck +him, "do you remember what Reggie said about meeting Braxton in +Chicago? You know while we were on the trip he mentioned Chicago as his +home town. And that letter had the Chicago postmark." + +"Oh, well, you couldn't hang a yellow dog on that," Jim replied. "But +what struck me was what Reggie said about the speedy car that Braxton +had. It must have been a mighty speedy car that got the fellow who laid +that trap on the road from the training town to Hebron. Of course those +things are only straws, of no value separately, though straws show +which way the wind blows. One thing is certain. We've got to keep one +man in our mind and guard against him. And that man's name is Braxton." + +They reached New York without incident the day before the opening game, +and found the city baseball mad. The front pages of the newspapers had +big headlines discussing the opening of the season. The sporting pages +overflowed with speculation and prophecy as to the way the different +teams would shape up for the pennant race. In the street cars, in the +subways, in the restaurants, in the lobbies of the theatres, wherever +men congregated, baseball was the subject of discussion. The long +winter had made the populace hungry for their favorite game. + +On the following day, the migration toward the Polo Grounds began long +before noon. Every train was packed with eager, good-natured humanity +on its way to the game. By noon the bleachers were packed, and an hour +before the game was scheduled to begin, every inch of the grandstands +were packed to overflowing. + +The Bostons were to be the Giants' opponents in the opening game. The +team had finished poorly the year before, but many winter trades had +strengthened the weak spots, and the spring training of the nine had +been full of promise. A close game was looked for, with the chances +favoring the Giants. + +McRae was anxious to win the opening game, and had selected Joe to +"bring home the bacon." Hughson's arm was not yet in shape, and the +prospects were that Joe would have to bear the heft of the pitcher's +burden if the Giants were to carry off the flag. + +Both teams were greeted with hearty cheers as they came out on the +field. The Bostons as the visiting team, had the first chance at +practice, and they uncovered a lot of speed in their preliminary work. +Then the Giants took their turn in shooting the ball across the diamond +and batting long flies to the outfielders. + +The bell rang and the field was cleared, while a hush of expectation +fell on the crowds. The blue-uniformed umpire stepped to the plate. + +"Ladies and gentlemen," he bawled, "the batteries for to-day's game are +Albaugh and Menken for Boston, and Matson and Mylert for New York. Play +ball!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +GETTING THE JUMP + + +Neale, the heavy hitting center fielder of the Bostons, who led off in +the batting order, came to the plate, swinging three bats. He discarded +two of them and took up his position, after having tapped his heel for +luck. + +Joe looked him over for a moment. Then he wound up and whipped one +over the plate. It was a high fast one, and Neale swung at it, his bat +missing the ball by fully three inches. + +"Strike one!" called the umpire, and the crowd roared in approval. It +was an auspicious beginning. + +The next one was wide, and Neale refused to "bite." Again Joe tempted +him with a bad one, and again Neale was too wary. The next ball +was a swift incurve that broke so suddenly that it buffaloed Neale +completely. The lunge he made at it swung him round so that he almost +lost his balance, and he looked rather sheepish as Mylert, the burly +catcher of the Giants, grinned at him. + +"Had that in my mitt before you swung at it," taunted Mylert. "Gee, but +you're slow." + +Neale glared at him, but made no reply and tightened his grip on the +bat. + +This time Joe floated up a slow teaser that looked as big as a balloon +as it sailed lazily for the plate. Neale, who was all set for a fast +one, nearly broke his back reaching for it. + +"You're out," declared the umpire, while shouts and laughter came from +the crowded stands, as Neale, flinging down his bat disgustedly, went +back to the dugout. + +Kopf, the next man up, dribbled a slow one to the box that Joe had no +trouble in getting to first on time. Mitchell lifted a towering fly +that Iredell gobbled up without moving in his tracks. + +"Classy work, old man!" cried out Robbie, his face glowing with +satisfaction, as Joe drew off his glove and came in to the bench. "The +old wing seems to be working as well as ever." + +The Giants did a little better in the first inning, though not well +enough to chalk up a run. Curry started well by lining to center for a +single, the ball just escaping Warner's fingers, as he leaped into the +air for it. Iredell tried to sacrifice, but the ball went too quickly +to the pitcher, who turned and caught Curry at second. Iredell tried to +get down on the first ball pitched, but Menken showed that his throwing +arm was right and nipped him by three feet. Burkett lifted one between +right and center that had all the earmarks of a home run, but Mitchell, +by a great run, got to it with one hand and froze on to it. It was a +remarkable catch, and the sportsmanlike New York crowd applauded it as +heartily as though it had been made by one of their favorites. + +"Highway robbery," growled Burkett, who had almost reached second +before the ball was caught, and was cherishing hopes of having knocked +out the first home run of the season. + +It seemed clear that the Bostons were not to be trifled with, at least +as far as their fielding was concerned, and the crowd settled down in +expectation of a close struggle. + +The second inning for the Bostons was short. Douglas sent up a pop fly +to Willis at third. Barber fouled to Mylert. Warner tapped a little one +in front of the plate that Mylert heaved to first. Each had offered at +the first ball pitched, so that only three balls had been thrown for +the entire inning. + +The hard hitting that the Giants had done in the first session had +resulted in nothing, but it had shown them that Albaugh could be hit, +and they faced him with confidence when they next went to the bat. + +But Albaugh had braced in his short breathing spell, and he set the +Giants down in short order. The best that Wheeler could do was to lift +a high fly behind second that nestled comfortably in Douglas' hands. +Willis got to first base on an error by Warner, but Denton hit into a +double play, Ellis to Douglas to Kopf, and the inning was over. + +In the third inning, the Bostons swung their bats in vain. Joe struck +out Ellis, Menken and Albaugh, one after the other. His fast ball shot +over the plate as though propelled by a gun. It came so swiftly that +the Boston batsmen either winced and drew back, or struck at it after +the ball had passed. His outcurve had a tremendous break, and Mylert +had all he could do to get it. It was a superb example of pitching, and +Joe had to remove his cap in response to the thunderous applause of the +stands. + +"Isn't that boy a wonder, Mac?" asked Robbie in exultation. "He's +simply standing those fellows on their heads. They just can't touch +him." + +"He's the goods all right," agreed the less demonstrative McRae. "But +don't let's crow too loud. The game isn't over yet by a long shot, and +anything can happen in baseball." + +Allen was the first man up in the Giants' half, and he went out on a +grasser to Warner, who got him at first by yards. It was Joe's turn +next. + +"Win your own game now, Joe," said Jim, as his chum left the bench for +the plate. "None of the other boys seem to be doing much. Show them +one of the clouts you made at the training camp." + +Joe grinned in reply and went to the plate. Albaugh looked at him and +thought he sensed an easy victim. He seldom had much trouble with +pitchers. + +The first ball was wide and Joe let it go by. The second and third also +went as balls. + +"Good eye, Joe," sang out Robbie, who was coaching at third. "Make him +put it over." + +Albaugh now was "in a hole." Three balls had been called on him, and he +had to get the next one over the plate. He wound up carefully and sent +over a swift straight one about waist high. + +Joe timed it perfectly and caught it near the end of his bat. The ball +went on a line straight toward the right field stands. On and on it +went, still almost in a line. Neale and Barber had both started for it +from the crack of the bat, but it stayed so low and went so fast that +it eluded them and struck just at the foot of the right field bleachers. + +Joe in the meantime was running like a deer around the bases, while his +comrades leaped about and howled, and the crowds in the stands were +on their feet and shouting like madmen. He had rounded second and was +well on toward third before Neale retrieved the ball. He relayed it to +Douglas like a shot. By this time Joe had turned third and was dashing +toward the plate. It was a race between him and the ball, but he beat +the sphere by an eyelash, sliding into the rubber in a cloud of dust. + +For a few moments pandemonium reigned, as Joe, flushed and smiling, +rose from the ground and dusted himself off while his mates mauled and +pounded him and the multitude roared approval. + +"Jumping jiminy!" cried Jim, "that was a lallapaloozer! It was a longer +hit than you made off of me this spring, and that's going some. And on +a line too. I thought it was never going to drop." + +"It was a dandy, Joe," commended McRae, clapping him on the shoulder. +"It's only a pity that there weren't men on bases at the time for you +to bring in ahead of you. But we've broken the ice now, and perhaps the +rest of the boys will get busy." + +Albaugh was rather shaken by the blow, and gave Mylert his base on +balls. Curry too was passed to first, advancing Mylert to second. The +stage seemed set for more Giant runs, but Iredell hit a liner to Ellis +who took it at his shoe tops and made a smart double play by getting it +to second before Mylert could scramble back. + +Still the Giants were a run to the good, and as the fourth and fifth +innings went by without a score that run began to look as big as a +meeting house. Albaugh had stiffened up and was pitching superbly, +while his mates were giving him splendid support. He mowed down the +heavy batters of the Giants one after another, and McRae began to +fidget about uneasily on the bench. One run was a slender margin, and +he was intensely eager to win this first game, not only because of the +enormous crowd that had turned out to see their favorites win, but +because of the moral effect on his players of "getting the jump" on at +least four of the other teams by winning the first game of the season. + +When Joe came to the bat for the second time, there was a short +consultation between Albaugh and his catcher, in which the astute +manager of the Braves, Sutton, joined. Then Albaugh deliberately +pitched four wild balls, and Joe trotted down to first. + +There was a chorus of jeers and catcalls from the crowds. + +"Got you rattled by that homer, did he?" + +"You're a sport--I don't think!" + +"Don't blame you for being afraid to let him hit it!" + +"He'll lose the ball next time!" + +"Crawl into a hole and pull the hole in after you!" + +But although it was not exactly sportsmanlike, it was within the rules +of the game, and when Mylert went out on a fly a moment later, making +the third out and leaving Joe stranded at first, Albaugh took off his +glove and waved it mockingly at his tormentors. + +In the sixth inning the Bostons took their turn at scoring. Kopf sent +an easy grounder to Iredell, who ordinarily would have eaten it up. +This time, however, he fumbled it for a moment, and then in his haste +to make up for the mishap threw wild to first. Burkett made a great +jump for it, but it went high over his head to the right field fence, +and before Burkett could regain it Kopf was on third. Mitchell tried to +bring him home, but his efforts resulted in a weak grounder along the +third base line. It looked as though the ball would roll over the foul +line, and Willis waited too long. It proved to be fair, and by this +time Mitchell was legging it for second. Willis threw low and the ball +hit the bag, bounding out into center field. Wheeler ran in and got it, +making a superb throw to the plate. But it was too late, and both Kopf +and Mitchell had scored, putting Boston in the lead by two runs to one. + +Joe put on steam and struck out the next three batters. But the +mischief had been done. Two miserable errors had given them as many +unearned runs. Now all they had to do was to keep the Giants scoreless +and the game would be won. + +Poor Iredell and Willis were disconsolate as they came in to the bench +and their discomfiture was not lessened by the tongue lashing that +McRae gave them. Joe, too, might naturally have been angered at the +wretched support accorded to him in a game where he was showing such +airtight pitching, but he was too fair and generous to find fault with +comrades for a blunder that all athletes make more or less often. + +"Never mind, boys," he said to them in an undertone, as he sat beside +them on the bench. "Just get busy with your bats and we'll pull the +game out of the fire yet." + +Although the Giants made a desperate rally and in each of the next +two innings got men on second and third, the score was unchanged and +the game still "in the fire" when the eighth inning ended. Joe in the +meantime had pitched with such effect that in the two innings not a man +reached first. + +The ninth inning came, and the Giants took the field for the last time. + +"Now Joe," said McRae, as the former picked up his glove to walk out +to the box, "hold them down just for one more inning, and we'll have a +chance either to tie or win, if our boobs can wake up enough to do a +little batting. The head of their batting order is coming up, but the +way you've been pitching up to now they all look alike to you." + +"I'll pitch my head off if necessary," Joe assured him. + +The twirling that Joe did in that last inning was phenomenal. His +control of the ball was almost uncanny. It writhed and twisted about +the bats like a snake. Neale, the slugger of the Braves, struck out +on the first three balls pitched. Kopf lifted a foul that came down +straight over the plate, where Mylert gathered it in. Mitchell drove +the ball straight over Joe's head, but the latter leaped high in the +air and speared it with his gloved hand, while the stands rocked with +applause. + +McRae gathered the Giants about him as they came in from the field. + +"Now you fellows listen to me," he commanded. "You've got to cop this +game. No excuses. You've got to. Show these bean-eaters where they get +off. Make them look like thirty cents. Knock the cover off the ball. Go +in and win!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +STEALING HOME + + +Willis was first to the bat, and he strode to the plate with blood in +his eye. He was still smarting from the sharp words of the manager and +was anxious for a chance to redeem himself. A hit would help to wipe +out the memory of his error. + +The first ball was an outshoot that just cut the corner of the plate. +Willis struck at it and missed. The next one was a straight ball about +knee high. Willis gave it a resounding clout, and it soared out toward +the flagpole in left field. + +Willis was off with the crack of the bat, footing it down to first, +while a roar went up from the stands. It looked like a sure home run, +and it was clear that the Boston left fielder could not get under it. +The runner was well on his way to second before the ball touched the +ground. + +"Foul ball!" called the umpire. + +There was a groan from the Giant rooters, and Robbie rushed from the +dugout to protest. The umpire coldly waved him off. + +"I said foul and that settles it," he declared, at the same time waving +to Willis to come back to the plate. + +It was a very disgruntled Willis that complied, and he took up his bat +mumbling something about "blind" and "robber." + +"What's that?" asked the umpire sharply. + +"Nothing," growled Willis, as he squared himself to meet the next ball. +It was a bad one, and he let it go by. The next suited him, and he sent +a sizzling grounder between second and third, on which he might have +made a double, had he been quicker on his feet. But he was of the "ice +wagon" type and had to be content with a single. + +Still it was a hit, and it put all the Giants on their toes in an +instant. Their coachers at first and third began a chattering designed +to rattle the pitcher. McRae hustled Denton out of the dugout with +directions to sacrifice. The latter did his best, but Albaugh pounced +on the ball and shot it to second, putting Willis out. Douglas whipped +the ball to first in an endeavor to complete a double play, but Denton +beat the ball by a step. + +With one man out and the tail end of the Giant batting order coming up +the outlook was decidedly gloomy. Hope revived, however, when Allen +laced a single to left. It was a clean hit, but Mitchell ran in on it +and fielded so smartly that Denton was held at second. + +With two men on bases, Joe came to the bat, while the great throng gave +him an ovation. + +"Win your own game, Matson," was shouted at him from thousands of +throats. + +"Give the ball a ride!" + +"Another homer, Joe!" + +"Give the ball a passport and send it out of the country!" + +These and other encouraging cries greeted Joe as he waited for the +ball. Albaugh looked at him with some apprehension. His respect for him +as a batter had grown considerably since the beginning of the game. + +Joe refused to offer at the first ball, which was high and wide. Menken +caught it and instead of returning it to the pitcher shot it down to +second. Denton had taken too long a lead off the base and was trapped. +His first impulse was to slide back to the bag, but he saw that he +was too late for that and set out for third. The whole Boston infield +joined in running him down, and despite his doubling and twisting, he +was run down and put out near third. During the fracas, Allen reached +second, but this was poor consolation, for now two men were out. + +Albaugh grinned as he picked up the ball and stepped on the mound. +Baseball Joe resolved to knock that grin off his face. + +The ball came toward the plate like a bullet. Joe timed it perfectly, +and poled a tremendous hit out toward center. + +"A homer! A homer!" yelled the crowd, wild with excitement. + +By the time Allen had galloped over the plate, Joe had rounded second, +running like a frightened jackrabbit. But in the meantime, Mitchell, by +a herculean effort, had managed to knock down the ball, after it had +struck the ground and was speeding toward the fence. He straightened +up and threw it in a line to third. It came plump into the waiting +hands of the guardian of the bag. But Joe had already pulled up there, +panting a little, but with his heart full of exultation. + +"Jumping Jehoshaphat, how that boy can hit!" cried McRae, while Joe's +comrades jigged about and threw their caps into the air. + +"As pretty a three-bagger as I ever saw," declared Robson. "That ties +the score anyway. Now if Mylert can only bring him in, the game's ours." + +Albaugh, though sore and enraged, still maintained perfect control of +the ball. Twice in succession he sent it whizzing over the plate, and +twice Mylert missed it by inches. Perhaps he was too anxious, but it +was evident that his batting eye was off. + +Albaugh sensed this, and felt so sure of his victim that he paid +little attention to third. Suddenly, as Albaugh began to wind up for +his pitch, Joe darted down the line for the plate. A warning cry from +Menken and a roar from the crowd told Albaugh what was happening. He +stopped his windup and threw to Menken, who was covering the rubber and +yelling to him to throw. He threw high in his excitement. Menken caught +the ball and bent down, just as Joe slid over the plate in a cloud of +dust. Menken dabbed frantically at him, and they rolled on the ground +together. + +"Safe!" cried the umpire. + +The game was won and the Giants had "got the jump." + +The crowd went mad. By thousands they rushed down from the stands and +swarmed down over the field. Joe saw them coming and made a dash for +the clubhouse. But before he had reached it, the crowd had closed in +about him, and it was only by the assistance of his mates, who cleared +a way for him, that he could get away from their wild enthusiasm and +slip into its welcome shelter. + +In a few minutes more the whole team had gathered there, laughing and +shouting and going over the details of the game, while they took the +showers and changed into their street clothes. There too came Robbie +and McRae, as full of glee and happiness as the rest. + +"You old rascal!" chortled Robbie, as he slapped Joe on the back. +"What are you trying to do? Be the whole team--gyp the other fellows +out of their jobs? Such pitching, such batting--and then to cap it all +by stealing home! Joe, old boy, I've seen lots of ball games, but your +work to-day takes the cake." + +McRae, though less demonstrative, was not a whit less delighted. + +"Great work, Matson," he said. "Keep that up and there isn't a man in +either league will be able to touch you." + +Jim too was fairly stuttering with his pride in his chum's achievements. + +"Picked the game right out of the fire," he exulted. "Tied it first and +won it afterward. Joe old fellow, you're in a class by yourself. And +that steal home! They'll talk about it all the season." + +"Well," replied Baseball Joe, with a grin, "I got rather homesick on +third, and that home plate looked mighty good to me." + +Then Hughson came along with his congratulations, and these perhaps +were the greatest reward that Joe could have asked for his day's work. + +For Hughson had been Joe's baseball idol for the last ten years. For at +least that period of time, Hughson had been confessedly the greatest +pitcher that baseball had ever seen. During that decade he had been +the mainstay of the Giant team. When Hughson was slated to pitch, his +mates were ready to chalk that game up in advance as won. And on the +other hand, the opposing team was almost ready to concede the game +before it was played. He had speed, curves and everything. At the most +critical stage of a game he never lost his head. There might be three +men on bases and none out, but that never disturbed Hughson. He would +bring his wonderful "fadeaway" into action and the batters would go +down like ninepins. He had brawn--plenty of it--but in addition he had +brain, and when it came to strategy and quick thinking there was no one +to be compared with him. + +But it was not merely his remarkable skill that had made him the +hero of the baseball world. He was a gentleman through and through. +He had had a college training and could meet and talk with educated +men on equal terms. He was upright in his principles, clean in his +living, quiet, plain, and unassuming. He was hail fellow well met +with the other members of his team, and in fact with baseball players +everywhere. Everybody liked him, and those who knew him best had a warm +affection for him. + +Nor was there the slightest touch of jealousy about him. If any one +else could take his laurels by showing that he was a better pitcher, +Hughson welcomed the opportunity to give him every chance to do so. +He was wholly wrapped up in the success of his team, and was only too +glad to see any one helping to gain that success. His treatment of Joe +since the latter had joined the team had been cordial in the extreme. +He coached him, encouraged him, and did everything in his power to make +him the star pitcher he saw he was destined to become. + +Hughson had been hurt in a collision just before the final games of the +previous year, and had not been able to take part in the World Series. +His arm had become better, but he was still in no condition to pitch. +So that it had been merely as a spectator that he had witnessed the +triumph of the Giants in this opening game of the season. + +Joe's eyes lighted up as he saw Hughson coming toward him with extended +hand. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A BASEBALL IDOL + + +"Put her there, Matson!" cried Hughson, his face beaming with pleasure. +"I never saw better pitching than you showed us to-day." + +Joe's face flushed. He shook Hughson's hand heartily. + +"Oh, it's nothing compared with lots of games you've pitched, Hughson," +he said. "I'm only in the infant class yet." + +"A mighty husky infant," laughed Hughson. "At least that's what the +Bostons think. It was a hard game for them to lose, just when they +thought they had it tucked away in their bat bag." + +"I feel rather sorry for Albaugh," said Joe. "He pitched a peach of a +game and deserved to win." + +"He sure did," conceded Hughson. "And nine times out of ten that kind +of pitching would have won. But to-day he had the hard luck to be +pitted against a better man. They got only one clean hit off of you. +The other was a scratch. A little more and you'd have pitched a no-hit +game. And that's going some for the first game of the season, I'll tell +the world. + +"Another thing that tickled me," he went on, "was to see him pass +you to first rather than give you a chance to hit the ball. That's a +compliment to all the boxmen of the country. As a rule we're easy meat. +The other pitchers are glad to see us come up to the plate. It has got +to be a proverb that pitchers can't hit. But you gave the lie to that +proverb to-day. Those two hits of yours were ticketed for the fence. +And that steal home was the classiest thing I've seen for a blue moon. +That's the kind of thinking that wins ball games. Do the thing the +other fellow doesn't expect you to do." + +"It was a case of touch and go," replied Joe. "I knew that I had +touched the plate before Menken put the ball on me, but I wasn't sure +the umpire would see it the same way. But he did, and that's all that +matters. By the way, Hughson, how is that arm of yours coming along?" + +"Not as well as I should like," responded Hughson, while a touch of +gloom came into his face. "There are days when it feels all right, and +other days when I can't lift it without pain. I've been down to see +Reese again about it, and he can't see anything radically wrong with +it. Says I'll have to be patient and give it time. But it's mighty +hard to have to sit on the bench when I'm fairly aching to get in the +box again." + +"I know just how you must feel," returned Joe sympathetically. "The +boys are all rooting for you to get back into harness again. It doesn't +seem the same old team with you out of the running." + +"I'll be back with bells on before long," answered Hughson with a +smile, as he moved on to have a chat with Robbie. + +"Isn't he a prince?" Joe remarked admiringly to Jim, as they watched +the back of the tall figure. + +"He sure is an honor to the game," returned Jim. "Here's hoping that +he'll soon be on deck again." + +The next day the New York papers were full of the story of the game. +There was a general feeling of jubilation over the auspicious start +by the Giants, a feeling that was the more pronounced, because of +the feeling that had previously prevailed that Hughson's continued +disability would be a serious handicap to the chances of again winning +the pennant. + +One great subject dwelt upon in all the accounts was the marvelous +pitching that Joe had shown. The sporting reporters "spread themselves" +on the way he had held the Bostons in the hollow of his hand. To allow +only two hits in the opening game, and one of them a scratch, was a +feat that they dwelt upon at length. + +But scarcely less space was devoted to his batting. Although it was +recalled that in the previous year he had had a creditable average at +the bat, considering that he was a pitcher, his power as a twirler had +kept his other qualities in the shade. Comment was made on the perfect +way he had timed the ball and of the fact that his homer had gone +nearly to the end of the grounds almost on a straight line, a fact that +attested the tremendous power behind the hit. One of the papers headed +its article: "Is There to Be a New Batting King?" and went on to say +among other things: + + "It is an extraordinary thing to pitch a two-hit game at the + beginning of the season. But it is still more extraordinary + that, despite the strain on the muscles and nerves of the + pitcher who achieves that distinction, he should also have a + perfect batting average for the day. That is what occurred + yesterday. In four times at the bat he was passed twice and + the other times poled out a triple and a home run. And this + was done against heady and effective pitching, for Albaugh has + seldom showed better form than in yesterday's game. + + "One might have thought that with this record Matson would + have called it a day and let it go at that. But he was still + not satisfied. In the ninth, with two men out and two strikes + called on Mylert, he put the game on ice by stealing home from + third--as unexpected and dazzling a play as we shall probably + be fortunate enough to see this year. It was the climax of a + wonderful game. + + "McRae never made a shrewder deal than when he secured this + phenomenal pitcher from St. Louis. We said this last year, when + Matson's great pitching disposed of Chicago's chances for the + pennant. We said it again when in the World Series he bore the + heft of the pitcher's burden and made his team champions of + the world. But a true thing will bear repeating twice or even + thrice, and so we say it now with added emphasis." + +All of the comment was in the same laudatory strain, although in +reference to his batting, one paper cautioned its readers that not too +much importance was to be attached to that. It was probably one of +Matson's good days, and one swallow did not make a summer. But whether +he kept up his remarkable batting or not, the New York public would ask +nothing more of him than to keep up his magnificent work in the box. + +Joe would not have been human if he had not enjoyed the praise that was +showered upon him in the columns that he and Jim read with interest the +next morning. It was pleasant to know that his work was appreciated. +But he was far too sensible to be unduly elated or to get a "swelled +head" in consequence. He knew how quickly a popular idol could be +dethroned, and he did not want the public to set up an ideal that he +could not live up to. + +It was for that reason that he read with especial approval the article +that warned against expecting him to be a batting phenomenon because of +his performance of yesterday. + +"That fellow's got it right," he remarked to Jim, as he pointed to the +paragraph in question. "I just had luck yesterday in straightening out +Albaugh's slants. Another time and I might be as helpless as a baby." + +"Luck, nothing!" replied Jim, who had no patience with Joe's depreciation +of himself. "There was nothing fluky about those hits. You timed them +perfectly and soaked the ball right on the nose. And look at the way +you've been lining them out in training this spring. Wake up, man. +You're not only the king of pitchers, but you've got it in you to +become the king of sluggers." + +"Oh, quit your kidding," protested Joe. + +"I'm not kidding," Jim affirmed earnestly. "It's the solemn truth. +You'll win many a game this year not only by your pitching but by your +batting too. Just put a pin in that." + +At this moment a bellboy tapped at the door, and being told to come in, +handed Joe two telegrams. He tore them open in haste. The first was +from Reggie and read: + + "Keep it up, old top. Simply ripping, don't you know." + +Joe laughed and passed it on to Jim. + +"Sounds just like the old boy, doesn't it?" he commented. + +The second one was from Mabel: + + "So proud of you, Joe. Not surprised though. Best love. Am + writing." + +Jim did not see this one, but it went promptly into that one of Joe's +pockets that was nearest his heart, the same one that carried the +little glove of Mabel's that had been his inspiration in all his +victorious baseball campaigns. + +After a hearty breakfast, the chums went out for a stroll. Neither +was slated to pitch for that day, and they had no immediate weight of +responsibility on their minds. Markwith, the left-handed twirler of the +Giants, would do the box work that day unless McRae altered his plans. + +"Hope Red puts it over the Braves to-day the way you did yesterday," +remarked Jim, as they sauntered along. + +"I hope so," echoed Joe. "The old boy seems to be in good shape, and +they've usually had trouble in hitting him. They'll be out for blood +though, and if they put in Belden against him it ought to be a pretty +battle. Markwith beat him the last time he was pitted against him, but +only by a hair." + +It was a glorious spring morning, and as they had plenty of time they +prolonged their walk far up on the west side of the city. As they were +approaching a corner, they saw a rather shabbily dressed man slouching +toward them. + +Jim gave him a casual glance, and then clutched Joe by the arm. + +"Look who's coming, Joe!" he exclaimed. "It's Bugs Hartley!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +AN OLD ENEMY + + +Baseball Joe started as he looked at the man more closely. + +"Bugs Hartley!" he ejaculated. "I thought we'd seen the last of that +fellow. I imagined that by this time he'd be in jail or in a lunatic +asylum." + +"He'll get there some time likely enough," replied Jim. "But just now +he's here. That's Bugs as sure as shooting." + +It was evident that the man had recognized them also, for he stopped +suddenly, as though debating whether to advance or retreat. He decided +on the former course, and with an air of bravado came toward them. Joe +and Jim would have passed him without speaking, but he planted himself +squarely in their path, a malignant look glowing in his bleary eyes. + +"So here you are again," he snarled, addressing himself to Joe. + +"Sure thing," answered Joe coolly. "You see me, don't you?" + +"I see you all right," replied Hartley, as his eye took in Joe's +well-dressed form. "All dolled up too. The man who took the bread and +butter out of my mouth. Oh, I see you all right, worse luck." + +Bugs Hartley had been a well known character in baseball for some +years. He had gained his nickname from his erratic habits. He had never +been any too strong mentally, and his addiction to liquor had still +further contributed to throw him off his balance. But he had been a +remarkable pitcher, with a throwing arm that made up for some of his +mental deficiencies, and had played in several major league clubs. For +some years he had been a member of the Giants, and was still a member +when Joe joined the team. His vicious habits and utter failure to obey +the rules of discipline had made him a thorn in his manager's side, but +McRae had tolerated him because of his unusual skill in the box. + +Joe had felt sorry for the man, and had done all he could to help him +along. Once he had found him wandering intoxicated in the streets +on the eve of an important game, and had got him off quietly to bed +so as to hide the matter from McRae. But there was no gratitude in +Hartley's disposition, and besides he was consumed with envy at seeing +Joe's rapid progress in his profession, while he himself, owing to his +dissipation, was going backward. + +On one occasion, he had tried to queer Joe by doping his coffee just +before the latter was scheduled to pitch in a game with Philadelphia. +His hatred was increased when, after being knocked out of the box +during a game, Joe had taken his place and won out. McRae at last lost +patience with him and gave him his walking papers. Hartley's twisted +brain attributed this to Joe, though as a matter of fact Joe had asked +McRae to give Bugs another chance. + +Hartley's reputation was so bad as a man and it was so generally +understood that he was through as a pitcher that no other club cared to +engage him. This increased his bitterness against the supposed author +of his misfortunes. On one occasion he had tried to injure Joe in a +dark street by hurling a jagged bolt of iron at his head, and the only +thing that saved Baseball Joe was that at the moment he had stooped to +adjust his shoelace. At that time Joe might have handed him over to the +police, but instead he let him go with a warning. Now he had again met +this dangerous semi-lunatic in the streets of New York. + +"Now look here, Bugs," said Joe quietly and decidedly. "I'm just about +tired of that kind of talk. I've done everything I could for you, and +in return you've doped me and otherwise tried to hurt me. You've been +your own worst enemy. I'm sorry if you're hard up, and if you need +money I'll give it to you. But I want you to keep away from me, and if +there's any more funny business you won't get off as easily as you did +last time." + +"I don't want your money," snapped Bugs. "I'm after you, and I'll get +you yet." + +"I don't think you'd better try it. It won't get you anywhere, except +perhaps in jail." + +"There's ways of doing it," growled Hartley. "Ways that you ain't +dreamin' of." + +A sudden thought struck Joe. + +"Do you mean anonymous letters?" he asked, looking keenly into +Hartley's eyes. + +"Anon-non--what do you mean?" the man asked sullenly. He was an +illiterate man and had probably never heard the word before. + +"Letters without any name signed to them," persisted Joe. + +"Aw! what are you giving me?" snapped Hartley. "I don't know what +you're talking about." + +His mystification was so genuine that Joe knew that his shot, fired at +random, had missed the mark. He could eliminate Hartley at once as a +possible author of the anonymous letter Mabel had received. + +"Never mind," said Joe. "Now one last word, Bugs. Twice you've tried to +do me up and twice you've failed. Don't let it happen a third time. It +will be three strikes and out for you if you do." + +He made a move to pass on. Hartley seemed for a moment as though he +would bar the way, but the steely look in Joe's eyes made him think +better of it. With a muttered imprecation he stepped aside, and the two +friends moved on. + +"A bad egg," remarked Jim, as they walked along. + +"I don't know whether he's just bad or is mad," replied Joe regretfully. +"A combination of both I suppose. He's got the fixed idea that I've +done him a wrong of some kind and his poor brain hasn't room for +anything else. It's too bad to see a man that was once a great pitcher +go to the dogs the way he has. I suppose he picks up a few dollars now +and then by pitching for semi-professional teams. But most of that I +suppose is dissipated." + +"Well, you want to keep on your guard against him, Joe," warned Jim, in +some anxiety. "A crazy man makes a dangerous enemy." + +"Oh, I don't think there's any need of worrying about Bugs," rejoined +Joe carelessly. "The chances are ten to one we'll never run across him +again." + +The encounter had rather spoiled their morning, and they hailed a +taxicab to take them back to their hotel. There they had lunch and then +rode up to the Polo Grounds for the game. + +As Joe had predicted, the Bostons that afternoon were out for blood +and they evened up the score. Markwith pitched a good game except for +one bad inning when he lost control, and hits, sandwiched in with +passes and a wild pitch, let in three runs. He braced up after that, +but it was too late, and the Giants had to take the little end of the +score. + +In the next two weeks the Giants met the rest of the Eastern teams, +and, taking it as a whole, the result was satisfactory. They had no +trouble in taking the Phillies into camp, for that once great team had +been shot to pieces. The majority of the Boston games also went to the +Giants' credit. They met a snag, however, in Brooklyn, and the team +from over the bridge took four games out of six from their Manhattan +rivals. But then the Brooklyns always had been a hoodoo for the Giants, +and in this season, as in many others, they lived up to the tradition. + +Still the Giants wound up their first Eastern series with a percentage +of 610, which was respectable if not brilliant. But now their real test +was coming. They were about to make their first invasion of the West, +where the teams were much stronger than those of the East. Cincinnati +was going strong under the great leader who had once piloted the +Phillies to a championship. Chicago was quite as formidable as in the +year before, when the Giants had just nosed them out at the finish. +St. Louis, though perhaps the least to be feared, was developing +sluggers that would put the Giants' pitchers on their mettle. But most +of all to be feared was Pittsburgh, which had been going through the +rest of the Western teams like a prairie fire. + +"Pittsburgh's the enemy," McRae told his men, and Robbie agreed with +him. "Beat those birds and you'll cop the flag!" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THREE IN A ROW + + +The first jump of the team was to Cincinnati, and there they found +their work cut out for them. The Reds had just lost three out of four +to Pittsburgh, and they had got such a talking to from their manager, +from the fans, and from the press of the city that they knew they had +to do something to redeem themselves. They knew that if they could hold +the Giants even, it would be something; if they could take three out of +four they would be forgiven; while if they could make a clean sweep of +the series they would "own the town." + +It was a singular thing what delight all the Western teams, and for +that matter all the teams of the League, took in beating the Giants. A +victory over them, of course, did not count any more in the final score +than a victory over one of the tailenders; but there was a fiendish +satisfaction in taking the scalps of the team from the "Big Town." So +that the managers always saved their best pitchers for the games with +the Giants, while they took a chance with their second string pitchers +against the other teams. This of course was a compliment; but it was a +compliment that the Giants did not especially appreciate, for it made +their task harder than that of any other team in the League. + +So when the Giants learned that Dutch Rutter was to try his prowess +against them in the opening game, they were not surprised. Rutter was +a left-hander who had made a phenomenal record the preceding year, and +he had been especially rested up and groomed with the Giant series in +view. Meran, the manager, had figured that if he could win the first +game with Rutter he could come back with him in the fourth, and thus +have at least a chance of getting an even break on the series. + +But McRae, anticipating such a move, had so arranged his own selection +of pitchers that Joe was in line for the first game, and he was not +afraid to pit his "ace" against the star boxman of the Cincinnatis. + +His confidence was justified, for Baseball Joe won out after a +gruelling struggle. In Rutter he had found an opponent worthy of his +steel. For six innings neither team broke into the run column. Rutter +had superb control for a left-hander, and he showed a most dazzling +assortment of curves and slants. But Joe came back at him with the +same brand of pitching that he had shown in the opening game, and the +Cincinnati batsmen were turned back from the plate bewildered and +disgruntled. In vain their manager raved and stormed. + +"Why don't you hit him?" he asked of his star slugger, as the latter +came back to the bench, after having been called out on strikes. + +"Hit him!" Duncan came back at him. "What chance have I got of hitting +him, when I can't even hit the ball he pitches?" + +Still the Giants had a scare thrown into them when in the ninth +inning, by a succession of fumbles and wild throws, the Cincinnatis +had three men on bases and none out. As they themselves had only one +run, scored in the seventh inning by a three base hit by Joe, aided by +a clean single by Mylert, the chances looked exceedingly good that the +Cincinnatis might tie the score or win the game. A clean single would +have brought in one run and probably two. + +But Baseball Joe was always at his best when most depended on him. +While the coachers tried to rattle him and the crowds frantically +adjured Thompson, who was at the bat, to bring the men on bases in to +the plate, Joe was as cool as a cucumber. + +He threw a swift high one to Thompson which the latter missed by three +inches. Mylert threw the ball back to Joe, who stopped it with his +foot and stooped as though to adjust his shoe lace. He fumbled an +instant with the lace, and then suddenly picking up the ball hurled it +to second like a shot. Emden, who was taking a long lead off the base, +tried to scramble back, but Denton had the ball on him like a flash. +Mellen who was on third made a bolt for the plate, but Denton shot the +ball to Mylert, and Mellen was run down between third and home. While +this was going on, Gallagher had taken second, and profiting by the +running down of Mellen, kept on half way to third. He did not dare go +all the way to third, because Mellen still had a chance to get back +to that base. But the instant Mellen was touched out, Joe, who had +taken part in running him down, shot the ball to Willis at third and +Gallagher was caught between the second and third bags. Three men were +out, the game was over, and the Giants had begun their Western invasion +with a 1 to 0 victory. + +[Illustration: SUDDENLY PICKING UP THE BALL HE HURLED IT TO SECOND.] + +Joe's quick thinking had cleared the bags in a twinkling. It had all +come so suddenly that the crowd was dumbfounded. Meran, the Cincinnati +manager, sat on the bench with his mouth open like a man in a daze. His +men were equally "flabbergasted." Thompson still stood at the plate +with his bat in hand. It seemed to him that a bunco game had been +played on him, and he was still trying to fathom it. + +Then at last the crowd woke up. They hated to see the home team lose, +but they could not restrain their meed of admiration and applause. The +stands fairly rocked with cheering. They had seen a play that they +could talk about all their lives, one that happens perhaps once in a +generation, one that they would probably never see again. + +McRae and Robbie for a moment acted like men in a trance. Over Robbie's +rubicund face chased all the colors of the chameleon. It almost seemed +as though he might have a stroke of apoplexy. Then at last he turned to +McRae and smote him mightily on the knees. + +"Did you see it, John?" he roared. "Did you see it?" + +"I saw it," answered McRae. "But for the love of Pete, Robbie, keep +that pile driver off my knees. Yes, I saw it, and I don't mind saying +that I never saw anything like it in my thirty years of baseball. I +have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming." + +"A miracle man, that's what he is!" ejaculated Robbie. "That wing of +his is wonderful, but it's the head on him that tops any other in the +league. He wasn't behind the door when brains were given out." + +Meran, the Cincinnati manager, who was a good sport, after he had +recovered from his astonishment, came over to the Giants' bench and +shook hands with McRae and Robson. + +"It was a hard game to lose, John," he said to the Giants' manager. "I +thought we had it sewed up in the ninth. But there's no use bucking +against that pitcher of yours. I'm only glad that you can't pitch him +in all your games." + +Joe, flushed and smiling, was overwhelmed with congratulations, but he +made light of his feat, as was his custom. + +"It was simple enough," he protested. "I had the luck to catch Emden +off second and the boys did all the rest." + +"Simple enough," mimicked Jim. "Oh, yes, it was simple enough. That's +the reason it happens every day of the week." + +It was a good beginning, but the old proverb that "a good beginning +makes a bad ending" was illustrated in this Western tour. For some +reason most of the Giant pitchers could not "get going." Jim pulled out +a victory in the Cincinnati series, but Markwith lost his game, and +Hughson, who tried to pitch one of the games, found that he was not yet +in shape. + +That series ended two and two. In Chicago the Giants had to be content +with only one victory out of the series. They hoped to make up for this +in St. Louis. But they found that the fame of "Murderers' Row" had +not been exaggerated, and there was a perfect rain of hits from the +Cardinals' bats that took two games out of three, the fourth that had +been scheduled being held up by rain. + +When the team swung around to Pittsburgh, there were some added +wrinkles between McRae's brows. + +"If we can only break even with Cincinnati and get the little end of +it in Chicago and St. Louis, what will Pittsburgh do to us?" he asked +Robbie, with a groan. + +"What Pittsburgh will do to us, John," replied Robbie soberly, "is a +sin and a shame!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +RIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER + + +The Smoky City was all agog over the games. It had won championships +before, but that was in the days of Fred Clarke and Honus Wagner and +other fence breakers. It had been a good many years since it had seen a +pennant floating over Forbes Field, and old-timers were wont to shake +their heads sadly and say they never would see it again. + +But this year the "dope" pointed in the right direction. The management +of the team had strengthened the weak point in the infield by a winter +trade that had brought to them "Rabbit" Baskerville, the crackerjack +shortstop of the Braves. The benefit of the change had been manifested +in the spring practice when the Rabbit had put new pep and ginger +in the team. And in the regular games so far they had had little +difficulty in winning a large majority from their rivals. How they +would hold out against the Giants was the problem that yet remained +to be solved. But unless the Giants showed a decided reversal from the +form in which they had been playing recently, it would not be so very +hard to take them also into camp. + +The Giants themselves felt none too much confidence, as they prepared +for this important series. One bit of luck came to them, however, in +the return at this juncture of Larry Barrett to the team. He had been +down with an attack of intermittent fever that had kept him out of part +of the spring practice and had prevented him thus far from playing in +any of the regular games. But on the team's arrival in Pittsburgh, they +found Barrett waiting for them, looking a little lighter than usual, +but declaring himself in excellent condition and fit to play the game +of his life. + +The previous year he had guarded the keystone bag, and by general +consent was regarded as the best second baseman in the League. His +batting too was a powerful asset to the team, as season after season he +ranked among the .300 hitters. Apart from his superb playing at bat and +in the field, he also helped to keep the boys in good spirits. His wit +and love of fun had gained him the nickname of "Laughing Larry," and no +team of which Larry was a member could stay long in the doleful dumps. + +His coming made necessary a change in the team. Allen, who had not +made a success in playing the "sun field," was benched, and Denton, +whose batting could not be spared, was shifted to right field in his +place, while Larry resumed his old position at second. + +On the morning of the day of the first game, McRae called his players +together for a few words of counsel. At least he called it counsel. The +players were apt to refer to it as roasting. + +"I've been thinking," he said, "that I've got the greatest collection +of false alarms of any manager in either of the big leagues." + +This was not an especially encouraging beginning, but each of the men +tried to look as though the manager could not by any possibility be +referring to him. Some of them hoped that he would not descend from +generalities to particulars. + +The manager's keen eyes ranged around the circle as though looking for +contradiction. There was a silence as of the tomb. + +"You fellows haven't been playing baseball," he went on. "You've been +playing hooky. Look at the way you've let the other teams walk over +you. The Chicagos took three out of four from you. The Cardinals +grabbed two out of three, and it's only the mercy of heaven that rain +kept them from copping another. Look at the way you've been batting. +Every team in the League except the Phillies has a better average. +You've got enough beef about you to knock the ball out of the lot, and +you've been doing fungo hitting, knocking up pop flies. What in the +name of seven spittin' cats do you mean by it? Every time you collect +your salaries you ought to be arrested for getting money on false +pretenses." + +He paused for a moment, and some of the more hopeful players thought +that perhaps he was through. But he was only getting his breath. He +faced them scornfully. + +"Giants!" he exclaimed with sarcasm. "Giants you call yourselves. Get +wise to yourselves. If you're Giants, I'm a Chinaman. It's dwarfs you +are, pygmies. Now I want you boobs to get one thing into your heads. +Get it straight. You've got to win this series from Pittsburgh. Do you +get me? You've got to! If you don't, I'll disband the whole team and +start getting another one from the old ladies' home." + +Much more he said to the same effect, with the result that when the +men, with heightened color and nerves rasped by his caustic tongue +lashing, left the clubhouse, they were in red-hot fighting mood. +Pygmies were they? Well, on the ball field they'd prove to McRae that +he didn't know what he was talking about. + +An immense crowd was present that filled Forbes Field to capacity when +the bell rang for the beginning of the game. Joe had pitched only two +days before, and McRae decided to send Markwith into the box. + +In the first inning, Dawley, the Pittsburgh pitcher, found it hard to +locate the plate, and Curry was passed to first. On the hit and run +play, Iredell popped to the pitcher, and Curry had all he could do to +get back to first. Burkett lined a clean hit over the second baseman's +head, but by sharp fielding Curry was kept from going beyond the middle +bag. On the next ball pitched, Curry tried to steal third but was +thrown out. Burkett in the meantime had got to second, but he was left +there when Wheeler sent a long fly to center that Ralston captured +after a hard run. + +The Pittsburghs were not long in proving that they had their batting +clothes on. Ralston landed on the first ball that Markwith sent up for +a home run. The crowd chortled with glee, and the Giants and the few +supporters they had in the stands were correspondingly glum. The blow +seemed to shake Markwith's nerve, and the next batter was passed. Bemis +sent a sizzling grounder to Iredell and it bounced off his glove, the +batter reaching first and Baskerville taking second on the play. Astley +dribbled a slow one to Markwith, who turned to throw to third, but +finding that Baskerville was sure of making the bag, turned and threw +high to Burkett at first. The tall first baseman leaped high in the air +and knocked it down, but not in time to get his man. With the bases +full Brown slapped a two bagger to center that cleared the bases, three +men galloping over the plate in succession. + +It was evidently not Markwith's day, and McRae beckoned him to come +in to the bench while the crowd jeered the visitors and cheered their +own favorites. Poor Markwith looked disconsolate enough, and after a +moment's conference with McRae, which he was not anxious to prolong, he +meandered over the field to the showers. + +"Bring on the next victim!" taunted some of the spectators. "All +pitchers look alike to us to-day. Next dead one to the front." + +McRae held a brief consultation with Robbie, and then nodded to Jim. + +"Go to it, Jim," encouraged Joe. "I'm rooting for you, old man. Pull +some of the feathers out of those birds. It's a tough job bucking +against a four run lead, but you're the boy to do it." + +"I'll do my best," answered Jim, as he put on his glove and went into +the box. + +It was the cue for the crowd to try to rattle him. The coachers began +chattering like a lot of magpies, and the man on second began to dance +about the bag and shout to Garrity, the next batsman, to bring him in. + +Jim sent one over the plate that cut it in half, but the batsman had +orders to wait him out, under the supposition that he would be wild. +So he let the second one go by also. + +"Strike two!" called the umpire. + +Garrity braced. This was getting serious. This time Jim resorted to a +fadeaway that Garrity swung at with all his might. But the ball eluded +him and dropped into Mylert's mitt. + +"You're out!" snapped the umpire, waving him away from the plate. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +JIM'S WINNING WAYS + + +"Good boy, Jim!" cried Joe, as his chum came in to the bench. "You put +the Indian sign on that fellow all right. Just hold them down and trust +to the boys to bat in some runs to even up the score." + +But if the boys had any such intentions they certainly took their time +about it. Larry, to be sure, poled out a long hit to right that had all +the signs of a homer, but Astley backed up and fairly picked it off the +wall. Denton cracked out a single between first and second. Jim hit +sharply to third, and O'Connor by a superb stop got the ball to first +in time, Denton in the meantime reaching second. Mylert swung savagely +at the ball, but it went up straight in the air and Dawley gathered it +in. + +In their half of the second, the Pittsburghs increased their lead to +five. O'Connor struck out on the first three balls pitched, but Jenkins +caught the ball on the nose for a single to center. Curry thought he +had a chance to make a catch, and ran in for it, instead of waiting for +it on a bound. By this mistake of judgment the ball got past him, and +before it could be retrieved Jenkins by fast running had crossed the +plate. Dawley was easy on a bounder to Willis, and Ralston, in trying +to duck away from a high incurve, struck the ball with his bat and sent +it rolling to Burkett for an out. + +"Not much nourishment for us in that inning," muttered McRae, as he +watched the man chalking up another run for Pittsburgh on the big +scoreboard at the side of the field. + +"No," agreed Robbie. "But you'll notice that the run wasn't earned. +If that hit had been played right, Jenkins would have been held for a +single." + +"Give them a row of goose eggs, Dawley," was the advice shouted to the +Pittsburgh pitcher, as he stepped into the box. + +Dawley grinned with supreme confidence. And for the third and fourth +inning his confidence seemed justified. The ball came zipping over the +plate with all sorts of twists and contortions, and the Giants seemed +helpless before him. They either struck out or put up feeble flies +and fouls that were easily gathered up. Only one hit went outside the +diamond and that plumped square into the hands of the waiting center +fielder. + +But in the meantime, the Pittsburghs were getting a little uneasy +about the kind of pitching that Jim was sending across. His fast ball +went so swiftly that the eye could scarcely follow it. He had perfect +control, and the "hop" on the ball just before it got to the plate +was working to perfection. The way he worked the corners of the plate +was a revelation. And in the fourth inning, when he struck out the +side on nine pitched balls, a ripple of applause was forced from the +spectators, despite their desire to see the home team win. + +"You're going like a house afire, old man," exclaimed Joe, as the +Giants came in for their turn. + +"That's what he is," agreed Robbie, who had overheard the remark. "But +it won't do any good unless our boys wake up and do something with +their bats. That five run lead is bad medicine." + +It did not look any better to the Giants than it did to Robbie, and +in the fifth inning they began to come to life. Dawley, for the first +time, seemed to be a little shaky in his control. He passed Iredell +and then tried to fool Burkett on a slow ball. But the latter timed +it exactly and poled it out between left and center for a beautiful +three-bagger. Iredell scored easily and a roar went up from the men in +the Giants' dugout as he crossed the plate. + +"Here's where we start a rally, boys!" cried Robbie. "Every man on his +toes now. Here's where we send this pitcher to the showers." + +Wheeler went to the plate with directions to sacrifice, which he did +neatly by sending a slow roller to first, on which Burkett scored. +Willis clipped out a liner to right, which was really only good for a +single, but in trying to stretch it to a two baser he fell a victim at +second. Then Larry came to the bat. + +"Show them that your layoff hasn't hurt your batting eye, Larry," sang +out McRae. + +The first ball was wide, and Larry held his bat motionless. On the +second offering he fouled off. The third was about waist high, and +Larry swung at it. The ball soared off to right field and landed in the +bleachers. It was a clean home run and Larry trotted easily around the +bases, a broad grin on his good-natured Irish face. + +"We're finding him!" shouted McRae. "We've got him going! Now, Denton, +put another one in the same place." + +Denton did his best, but it was not good enough. Dawley had tightened +up and was sending the ball over the plate as though thrown from a +catapult. Two strikes were called on Denton, and then he put up a fly +just back of second which Baskerville caught in good style. + +The inning was over, but the Giants felt better. There was a big +difference between five to none and five to three. Besides, they had +learned that Dawley could be hit. + +"Keep them down, Jim, and we'll put you in the lead next inning," +prophesied Larry, as he passed him on his way out to second. + +Jim proceeded at once to keep them down. He had never been in better +form. The three runs that his mates had scored had put new heart in him +and he made the Pittsburghs "eat out of his hand." They simply could +not get going against him. + +His sharp breaking curve had their best batters completely at sea. They +were swinging in bewilderment at balls that they could not reach. For +the next three innings not a man reached first base and in the eighth +inning he mowed them down on strikes as fast as they came to the plate. + +"Oh, if we'd only started the game with him!" groaned McRae, as the +eighth inning ended with the score unchanged. + +For in the meantime Larry's prophecy had not been fulfilled that the +Giant batsmen would gain the lead. They had been hitting more freely +than in the early part of the game, but had been batting in hard luck. +Every ball they hit seemed to go straight to some fielder, and the +Pittsburghs were giving their pitcher magnificent support. There was +one gleam of hope in the eighth, when with two men out, a Giant was +roosting on second and another on third. But hope went glimmering when +Burkett's hoist to center was easily gathered in by Ralston. + +"We can win yet," crowed Robbie, with a confidence he was far from +feeling, as the Giants entered on their last inning. "There's many a +game been won in the ninth. Go in now and knock him out of the box." + +Wheeler started in with a single that just escaped the outstretched +hands of Baskerville. McRae himself ran down to first to coach him. +Willis followed with another single on which Wheeler went all the way +to third. It looked as though the long-hoped for rally had at last +commenced. + +But a groan went up from the Giant dugout when Willis, on the next ball +pitched, started for second and was nailed by three feet. Still Larry +was next at bat, and his comrades, remembering his last home run, urged +him to repeat. + +Larry was only too eager to do so, and on the second ball pitched +laced it to right field for what looked to be a homer but went foul by +a few feet only. The next was a missed strike. Two balls followed in +quick succession and then, with the count three to two, slapped out a +rattling two-bagger to center. Wheeler scored and the tally was five to +four in Pittsburgh's favor. + +Then to Joe's surprise McRae beckoned him from the dugout. + +"What's the big idea?" Joe asked, as he came up to his manager. + +"I'm going to put you in as a pinch hitter," answered McRae. "I'd +rather take a chance on you than Denton. Get in there now and knock the +cover off the ball." + +There was a gasp of surprise from the stands. In their experience +it was usually a pitcher who was taken out to make room for a pinch +hitter. It was almost unheard of that the procedure should be reversed. +To them it seemed a sign that McRae was at the end of his rope, and +there were catcalls and shouts of derision as Joe came to the plate. +And these redoubled in volume as he missed the first ball that Dawley +sent over. + +"What did I tell you, boys?" + +"Nit, on that!" + +"Matson is all right as a pitcher, but as a batter, nothing doing." + +"Give him two more like that, Dawley!" + +"Take your time, Joe!" + +"Make him give you the kind you want!" + +"Here is where Pittsburgh chews the Giants up!" + +"Maybe you can do it somewhere else, but you can't do it here!" + +"One, two, three, Dawley, remember." + +So the calls ran on as Joe waited for the pitcher to deliver the sphere +again. + +The Pittsburgh rooters thought they had Joe's "goat" and they were +prepared to make the most of it. They began a chorus of yells and +groans that grew louder and louder. + +They stopped suddenly as Joe caught the next ball about a foot from the +end of his bat. There was a mighty crack and the ball soared up and up +into the sky over right field. The fielders started to run for it and +then stopped short in their tracks, throwing up their hands in despair. +The ball cleared the bleachers, cleared the wall, and went through the +window of a house on the other side of the street. + +Joe had started running like a deer at the crack of the bat, but as he +rounded first McRae shouted at him to take his time, and he completed +the rest of his journey at a jog trot, Larry of course having preceded +him. There was a wild jubilee at the plate. Robbie threw dignity to the +winds and danced a jig, and Joe was sore from the thumping of his mates. + +"The longest hit that's ever been made on Forbes Field!" cried Larry +exultingly. + +"Old Honus Wagner in his best days never made such a clout," joined in +Jim. "Joe, old boy, you've saved the game." + +"It isn't over yet," cautioned Joe smilingly; "but if you keep up +the same brand of pitching you've been showing us, they won't have a +Chinaman's chance." + +The next two batters were easy outs and the Giants' half was over. The +Pittsburghs came in for their last chance, determined to do or die. It +was exasperating for them to have the game snatched from them when they +were just about to put it on their side of the ledger. But Jim put out +the first one on a puny fly and sent the last two back to the bench by +the strike-out route--and the game was over. + +In their first clash with the redoubtable Pittsburghs, the Giants had +won by six to five! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A BREAK IN THE LUCK + + +It was a highly elated crowd of Giants that chattered away excitedly in +the clubhouse after the finish of the game. Jim and Joe came in for the +major share of the honors, the first because of his superb pitching and +the latter for the glorious home run that had clinched the victory. + +"Some pitching, Barclay," said Hughson, clapping Jim on the shoulder. +"Do you realize that only thirty-two batters faced you and that eleven +of them went out on strikes? That's what I call twirling." + +"It'll take some of the chestiness out of these Pirates," laughed +Larry. "They thought we were going to be as easy meat for them as the +rest of the teams. And, begorra, it looked as though we would from the +way the game started." + +"You did your share all right, Larry," replied Jim. "That home run of +yours was a beauty. And that two-bagger was no slouch." + +"But that clout of Joe's was the real cheese," said Denton generously. +"Gee, Joe, I was a little sore when McRae put you in to take my turn +at bat. But when I saw that old apple clear the fence I knew that the +old man had the right dope. I haven't made a hit like that since I've +been in the game." + +"Who has?" queried Curry. "I'll bet it comes pretty close to being a +record. If that house hadn't been in the way the ball would be going +yet." + +"Don't forget, Joe, that you'll have to pay for that broken window," +laughed Wheeler. + +"I guess McRae would pay for a hundred broken windows and never say a +word," chuckled Iredell. + +He would have been still more sure of this had he been able to see +McRae's face at that moment and overheard what he was saying to Robson. + +"You've had a real bit of luck to-day, John," the latter had remarked, +his broad face radiant with satisfaction. "You've discovered that you +have another first string pitcher. That work of young Barclay was +simply marvelous." + +"You said it, Robbie," agreed McRae. "It was a rough deal to give a +young pitcher the job of beating the Pittsburghs after they had a four +run lead. But he stood the gaff and came through all right. From this +time on he'll take his regular turn in the box. But it isn't that that +pleases me most in this day's work." + +"What is it then?" asked Robbie. + +"It's the batting of Matson," replied McRae thoughtfully. "I've been in +the game thirty years, and I've seen all the fence-breakers--Wagner, +Delehanty, Brouthers, Lajoie, and all the rest of them. And I tell you +now, Robbie, that he's the king of all of them. The way he stands at +the plate, the way he holds his bat, the way he times his blow, the +way he meets the ball--those are the things that mark out the natural +batter. It's got to be born in a man. You can't teach it to him. All +the weight of those great shoulders go into his stroke, and he makes a +homer where another man would make a single or a double. Now mark what +I'm telling you, Robbie, but keep it under your hat, for I don't want +the kid to be getting a swelled head. In Baseball Joe Matson we've got +not only the greatest pitcher in the game, but the hardest hitter in +either league. And that goes." + +"Oh, come now, John," protested Robbie, "aren't you going a little too +strong? The greatest pitcher, yes. I admit that. There's no one in +sight now that can touch him, now that Hughson's laid up. And between +you and me, John, I don't believe that even Hughson in his best days +had anything on Matson. But when you speak of batting, how about Kid +Rose of the Yankees?" + +"He's all to the good," admitted McRae. "He's got a wonderful record; +the best record in fact of any man that has ever broken into the +game. He topped the record for home runs last season, and by the way +he's starting in this year he'll do it again. Up to now we haven't +had anyone in the National League that could approach him. But I'm +willing to bet right now that he never made so long a hit as Matson +made this afternoon. Of course Rose has had more experience in batting +than Matson, and for the last two or three years he's hardly done any +pitching. But if I should take Matson out of the box right now and play +him in the outfield every day, I'll bet that by the end of the season +he'd be running neck and neck with Kid Rose and perhaps a wee bit ahead +of him." + +"Well, maybe, John," agreed Robbie, though a little doubtfully. "But +what's the use of talking about it? You know that we can't spare him +from the box. He's our pitching ace." + +"I know that well enough," replied McRae. "But all the same I'm going +to see that he has many a chance to win games for us by his batting as +well as by his pitching. On the days he isn't pitching, I'll use him as +a pinch hitter, as I did to-day. Then, too, when he is pitching, I'm +going to make a change in the batting order. Instead of having him down +at the end I'm going to put him fourth--in the cleanup position. If +that old wallop of his doesn't bring in many a run I'll miss my guess." + +The very next day McRae had a chance to justify his theories. Hughson +had told the manager that he thought he was in shape to pitch, and +McRae, who had great faith in his judgment, told him to go in. The "Old +Master," as he was affectionately called, used his head rather than his +arm and by mixing up his slow ball with his fast one and resorting on +occasion to his famous fadeaway, got by in a close game. In the sixth, +Joe was called on as a pinch hitter, and came across with another +homer, which, although not as long as that of the previous day, enabled +him to reach the plate without sliding and bring in two runs ahead of +him. + +Two homers in two consecutive days were not common enough to pass +without notice, and the Pittsburgh sporting writers began to feature +Joe in their headlines. There was a marked increase in the attendance +on the third day when Joe was slated to pitch. On that day he "made +monkeys" of the Pittsburgh batters, and on the two turns at bat when +he was permitted to hit made a single and a three-bagger. In two other +appearances at bat, the Pittsburgh pitcher deliberately passed him, at +which even the Pittsburgh crowd expressed their displeasure by jeers. + +On the final day, Markwith was given a chance to redeem himself, and +pitched an airtight game. But Hooper of the Pittsburghs was also at his +best, and with the game tied in the ninth Joe again cracked out a homer +to the right field bleachers, his third home run in four days! + +Markwith prevented further scoring by the enemy, and the game went into +the Giants' winning column. + +"Four straight from the league leaders," McRae chuckled happily. "The +break in the luck has come at last." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE + + +"Well, we wound up the trip in a blaze of glory, anyway," remarked Jim +to Baseball Joe, as they sat in the Pullman coach that was carrying +them and the rest of the team back to New York. + +"Yes, and we just saved our bacon by doing it," replied Joe. "Those +last four games gave us eight out of fifteen for the trip. Not so +awfully bad for a team on a trip, and yet not good enough to win the +championship. But even at that I guess McRae won't supplant us with a +team from the old ladies' home," he added, with a laugh. + +"We've got a long series of games on the home grounds now," put in +Larry, the optimist. "We'll show these other fellows how the game ought +to be played. Just watch us climb." + +"Here's hoping you're right," chimed in Burkett. "A slice of the World +Series money this year would look mighty good to me." + +"That's looking pretty far ahead," said Curry. "Still, if Joe keeps up +the batting he's been showing us in Pittsburgh, I'll bet we cop the +flag." + +"That may be just a flash in the pan," cautioned Joe. "I may have had +just a few good days when everything broke just right for me. I'm a +pitcher, not a batter." + +"Not a batter, eh?" remarked Larry, in feigned surprise. "How surprised +Dawley and Hooper and the other Pittsburgh pitchers will be to hear +that. They seemed to think you could pickle the pill all right." + +The players found the baseball circles of New York in a ferment of +interest and excitement over the team. There had been considerable +despondency over the poor showing of the Giants in the first three +series they had played on the trip. But the four rattling victories +they had gained over Pittsburgh had redeemed them in the minds of their +followers, and hopes for the pennant had revived. + +But the one thing that obscured everything else was the tremendous +batting that Joe had done in that last series. The sporting columns of +the newspapers had headlines like: "The New Batting Star;" "A Rival +to Kid Rose;" "Is There to Be a New Home-Run King?" and "The Colossus +of Swat." Joe found his footsteps dogged by reporters eager to get +interviews telling how he did it. Moving picture operators begged the +privilege of taking him in all positions--as he gripped his bat--the +way he stood at the plate--as he drew back for his swing. Illustrated +weekly papers had full page pictures of him. Magazines offered him +large sums for articles signed with his name. He found himself in the +calcium light, holding the center of the stage, the focus of sporting +interest and attention. + +Joe was, of course, pleased at the distinction he had won, and yet +at the same time he was somewhat uneasy and bewildered. He was not +especially irked at the attention he was attracting. That had already +become an old story as to his pitching. He was hardened to reporters, +to being pointed out in the streets, to having a table at which he +happened to be dining in a restaurant or hotel become the magnet for +all eyes while whispers went about as to who he was. That was one of +the penalties of fame, and he had become used to it. + +But hitherto his reputation had been that of a great pitcher, and in +his own heart he knew he could sustain it. The pitching box was his +throne, and he knew he could make good. But he was somewhat nervous +about the acclamations which greeted his batting feats. He was not at +all sure that he could keep it up. He had never thought of himself as +any more than an ordinary batter. He knew that as a pitcher he was not +expected to do much batting, and so he had devoted most of his training +to perfecting himself in the pitching art. Now he found himself +suddenly placed on a pedestal as a Batting King. Suppose it were, as he +himself had suggested, merely a flash in the pan. It would be rather +humiliating after all this excitement to have the public find out that +their new batting idol was only an idol of clay after all. + +He confided some of his apprehension to Jim, but his chum only laughed +at him. + +"Don't worry a bit over that, old man," Jim reassured him. "I only wish +I were as sure of getting a million dollars as I am that you've got the +batting stuff in you. You've got the eye, you've got the shoulders, +you've got the knack of putting all your weight into your blow. You're +a natural born batter, and you've just waked up to it." + +"But this is only the beginning of the season," argued Joe. "The +pitchers haven't yet got into their stride. By midsummer they'll be +burning them over, and then more than likely I'll come a cropper." + +"Not a bit of it," Jim affirmed confidently. "You won't face better +pitching anywhere than we stacked up against in Pittsburgh, and you +made all those birds look like thirty cents. They had chills and fever +every time you came to the bat." + +The matter was not long left in doubt. In the games that followed Joe +speedily proved that the Pittsburgh outburst was not a fluke. Home runs +rained from his bat in the games with the Brooklyns, the Bostons and +the Phillies. And when the Western teams came on for their invasion +of the East, they had to take the same medicine. All pitchers looked +alike to him. Of course he had his off days when all he could get was +a single, and sometimes not that. Once in a long while he went out on +strikes, and the pitcher who was lucky or skilful enough to perform +that feat hugged it to his breast as a triumph that would help him the +next season in demanding a rise in salary. But these occasions were few +and far between. The newspapers added a daily slab to their sporting +page devoted to Joe's mounting home run record, giving the dates, the +parks and the pitchers off whom they were made. And there was hardly +a pitcher in the league whose scalp Joe had not added to his rapidly +growing collection. + +In the business offices of the city, in restaurants, at all kinds of +gathering places, the daily question changed. Formerly it had been: +"Will the Giants win to-day?" Now it became: "Will Baseball Joe knock +out another homer?" + +And the fever showed itself in the attendance at the Polo Grounds. Day +by day the crowds grew denser. Soon they were having as many spectators +at a single game as they had formerly looked for at a double-header. +The money rolled into the ticket offices in a steady stream, and the +owners and manager of the club wore the "smile that won't come off." +The same effect was noted in all the cities of the circuit. The crowds +turned out not so much to see the Giants play as to see if Baseball +Joe would knock another home run. Joe Matson had become the greatest +drawing card of the circuit. If this kept up, it would mean the most +prosperous season the League had ever known. For the Giants' owners +alone, it meant an added half million dollars for the season. Already, +with not more than a third of the games played, they had taken in +enough to pay all expenses for the year, and were "on velvet" for the +rest of the season. + +Nothing in all this turned Joe's head. He was still the same modest, +hardworking player he had always been. First and all the time he worked +for the success of his team. Already the Giants' owners had voluntarily +added ten thousand dollars to his salary, and he was at present the +most highly paid player in his League. He knew that next year even this +would be doubled, if he kept up his phenomenal work. But he was still +the same modest youth, and was still the same hail fellow well met, the +pal and idol of all his comrades. + +What delighted Baseball Joe far more than any of his triumphs was the +information contained in a letter he wore close to his heart that Mabel +was coming on to New York with her brother Reggie for a brief stay +on her way to her home in Goldsboro. They had been in almost daily +correspondence, and their affection had deepened with every day that +passed. Jim also had been equally assiduous and equally happy, and both +players were counting the days that must elapse before the wedding +march would be played at the end of the season. + +Luck was with Joe when, in company with Jim, he drove to the station +to meet Mabel and Reggie. The rain was falling in torrents. Ordinarily +that would have been depressing. But to-day it meant that there would +be no game and that he could count on having Mabel to himself with +nothing to distract his attention. + +Jim was glad on his friend's account, but nevertheless was unusually +quiet for him. + +"Come out of your trance, old boy," cried Joe, slapping him jovially on +the knee. + +Jim affected to smile. + +"Oh, I know what you're thinking about," charged Joe. "You're jealous +because I'm going to see Mabel and you're not going to see Clara. But +cheer up, old man. The next time we strike Chicago we'll both run down +to Riverside for a visit. Then you'll have the laugh on me, for you'll +have Clara all to yourself while Mabel will be in Goldsboro." + +Jim tried to find what comfort he could from the prospect, but the +Chicago trip seemed a long way off. + +They reached the station ahead of time and walked up and down +impatiently. The rain and wet tracks had detained the train a little, +but at length its giant bulk drew into the station. They scanned the +long line of Pullmans anxiously. Then Joe rushed forward with an +exclamation of delight as he saw Reggie descend holding out his hand to +assist Mabel--Mabel, radiant, starry-eyed, a vision of loveliness. + +Jim had followed a little more slowly to give Joe time for the first +greeting. But his steps quickened and his eyes lighted up with rapture +as behind Mabel Joe's sister Clara came down the steps, sweet as a +rose, and with a look in her eyes as she caught sight of Jim that made +that young man's heart lose a beat. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +AN EVENING RIDE + + +There was a hubbub of delighted and incoherent exclamations as the +young people greeted each other with all their heart in their eyes. Of +course in the crowded station the greetings could not be just what the +boys--and the girls, too--desired, but those would come later. Reggie +too came in for warm handshakes. + +"My word!" he exclaimed, as he smiled affably upon them all, "you folks +seem glad to see one another. I'll just slip over and look after the +luggage." + +They spared him without any regret at all. Indeed, it is doubtful if +they even heard him. Joe was saying things to Mabel in an undertone, +and Jim was doing the same thing to Clara. What they said was their own +affair, but it seemed eminently satisfactory to all concerned. + +When at last they had come somewhat to their senses, Joe poked Jim in +the ribs. + +"Some surprise, old man!" he remarked mischievously. + +"Surprise!" repeated Jim. "It's Paradise. It's heaven. Don't tell me +I'm going to wake up and find it all a dream. And you knew this all the +time, you old rascal, and didn't let me in on it." + +"Just a little scheme that Mabel and I cooked up," laughed Joe happily. +"I thought Sis might like to come on and take a look at her only +brother." + +"Brother," mimicked Mabel saucily. "Don't flatter yourself. You won't +be looked at much while Jim's around." + +Clara flushed and laughed in protest. Joe, however, did not seem +disturbed at the prospect. As long as Mabel looked at him the way she +was looking now, he had nothing more to ask. + +A taxicab whirled them up to the pretty suite that Joe had reserved for +the girls in a hotel. There were two rooms in the suite, and it was +surprising how quickly Joe and Mabel took possession of one of them, +while Jim and Clara found the other one much preferable. They had so +much to say to each other that required no audience. Reggie, who had +an adjoining room, took himself off on the plea of an engagement that +would keep him till luncheon time, and the happy young people had a +long delightful morning to themselves. + +"Oh, I'm so proud of you, Joe," Mabel assured him, among many other +things. "You're making such a wonderful record. You don't know how I +read and treasure all the things the papers are saying about you. They +give you more space than they give the President of the United States." + +"You mustn't make too much of it, honey," Joe replied. "I'm in luck +just now; but if I should have a slump the same people that cheer me +now when I make a homer would be jeering at me when I came to the bat. +There's nothing more fickle than the public. One day you're a king and +the next you're a dub." + +"You'll always be a king," cried Mabel. "Always my king, anyway," she +added blushingly. + +In the meantime Clara and Jim were saying things equally precious to +themselves and each other, but of no importance at all to the general +public. Jim was surprised and pleased at the intimate acquaintance she +had with all the phases of his rapid rise in his profession. She knew +quite as well as the rest of the world that Jim already stood in the +very front rank of pitchers, second only perhaps to Joe himself, and +she had no hesitation in telling him what she thought of him. Sometimes +it is not a pleasant thing for a man to know what a woman thinks of +him, but in Jim's case it was decidedly different, if his shining face +went for anything. + +The young people took in a matinee in the afternoon and a musical show, +followed by dinner, in the evening, and all were agreed in declaring +it a perfect day. + +Jim was slated to pitch the next day and with Clara watching from a +box he turned in a perfect game, winning by a score of 1 to 0, the run +being contributed by Joe, who turned loose a screaming homer in the +sixth. Naturally both young men felt elated. + +It was a beautiful summer evening, and they had arranged for an +automobile ride out on Long Island. Joe had hired a speedy car, +but dispensed with the services of a chauffeur. He himself was an +accomplished driver and knew all the roads. A chauffeur would have been +only a restraint on their freedom of conversation. + +They bowled along over the perfect roads, happy beyond words and at +peace with all the world. Mabel was seated in front with Joe, while Jim +and Clara occupied the tonneau. All were in the gayest of spirits. Much +of the time they talked, but speech and silences were equally sweet. + +They had dinner at an excellent inn, about forty miles out of the city. +There was a good string band and the young couples had several dances. +The evening wore away before they knew it, and it was rather late when +they turned their faces cityward. + +The car was purring along merrily on a rather lonely stretch of road in +the vicinity of Merrick, when a big car came swiftly up behind them. +The driver tooted his horn and Joe drew a little to one side to give +the car plenty of room to pass. The car rushed by and lengthened the +distance until it was about a hundred yards ahead. + +"Seems to be in a hurry," remarked Jim. + +"A bunch of joy riders, I suppose," answered Joe. "Hello, what does +that mean?" + +For the car had suddenly stopped and the driver had swung it across the +road, blocking it. + +"Something gone wrong with the steering gear," commented Joe. "Looks +like a breakdown. Perhaps we can help them." + +He slowed up as he drew near the car. The next instant four men jumped +out of the car and ran toward them. They had their caps drawn down over +their eyes, and each of them carried a leveled revolver. + +"Hands up!" commanded their leader, as he covered Joe with his weapon. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE ATTACK ON THE ROAD + + +In an instant Baseball Joe brought the car to a stop. + +But in that instant his brain worked like lightning. + +Neither he nor Jim was armed. He must temporize. Resistance at the +moment might be fatal. Shooting would result probably in the death of +one or more of the party. + +Before he had taken his hand from the wheel, he had formed a plan. + +The women had screamed and Jim had jumped to his feet. + +"Sit down, Jim," said Joe. "Don't you see they have the drop on us. I +suppose it's money you want?" he went on coolly, addressing the leader +of the gang. + +"No," was the unexpected answer. "We're not after money this time. We +want a man named Matson." + +"I didn't know I was so popular," replied Joe jokingly, though the +mention of his name in so ominous a way had sent a start through him. +"My name is Matson, Joe Matson. What do you want of me?" + +"Are you giving it to us straight?" asked the leader. "Are you Matson? +How many men are there with you anyway?" he went on, peering into the +tonneau. + +"There are two of us," replied Joe. + +"Then get down in the road, both of you," commanded the bandit. "I want +to have a look at both of you so that there won't be any mistake. My +orders are for the man named Matson. No monkey work now!" + +Joe and Jim, inwardly boiling but outwardly cool, got down into the +road. As they climbed down, Joe's hand nudged Jim ever so slightly. Jim +knew what that meant. It meant to make no move until Joe gave the sign. + +"Up with your hands!" ordered the leader curtly. "Bill, frisk them and +see if they have guns." + +The bandit called Bill ran his hands along their bodies and reported +that they were entirely unarmed. + +"Now strike a match and let's have a look at their faces," was the next +order. + +Bill obeyed, and as the light flared up, not only the leader but the +rest of the band looked over the young men keenly. + +"You're Matson, all right," said the leader to Joe, and the rest +acquiesced. "I've seen your picture in the papers many a time, and I've +seen you at the Polo Grounds too. All right. You get back in the car," +he said to Jim, poking him in the side with his pistol, "and drive off." + +"What do you want with me?" asked Joe steadily. + +"Oh, we're not going to kill you," replied the leader, with an evil +grin. "But," he muttered under his breath so low that only Joe could +hear him, "by the time we're through with you, that pitching arm of +yours will be out of business. Them's our orders." + +"Who gave you those orders?" asked Joe. + +"Never you mind who gave them," snarled the bandit. "I've got them, and +I'm going----" + +He never finished the sentence. + +Like lightning Joe's foot shot up and kicked the weapon from the +leader's hand. The next instant his fist caught another of the +scoundrels a terrific crack on the jaw. The man went down as though +he had been hit with an axe. At the same moment Jim's hard right fist +smashed into another straight between the eyes. There was the snap of +a breaking bone and the man toppled over. The fourth rascal, who had +been paralyzed with astonishment, forgot to shoot and started to run, +but Jim was on him like a tiger and bore him to the ground, his hands +tightening on his throat until the rascal lay limp and motionless. + +In the meantime, the leader, nursing his hurt wrist, had hobbled to the +car, whose engine all this time had remained running. Joe made a dash +for the car, but the chauffeur put on all speed and darted away into +the darkness. + +The first task of Joe and Jim was to gather up the weapons of the +assailants. The three still lay dazed or unconscious. Under other +circumstances, the boys would have waited until the trio had regained +their senses. But their first duty now was to the girls, who were half +hysterical with fright. Joe took Mabel in his arms, after assuring her +again and again in answer to her frantic questions that he was unhurt, +and Jim comforted Clara until she had recovered her composure. + +They laid the bandits at the side of the road, so that they could not +be run over, and then Joe took the wheel and drove on. To the first +policeman they saw, Joe reported that he had seen some men who seemed +to be hurt, alongside the road, and suggested that they be looked +after. But he said nothing about the attempted holdup. Then he sped on, +and soon they were in the precincts of the city. + +The girls in their alarm had failed to gather the true significance +of the affair. To them it was like a confused dream. Their general +impression was that a holdup had been attempted for the purposes of +robbery. Still Mabel did remember that they had asked specifically for +Matson. + +"Why was it that they asked for you especially, Joe?" she asked, +snuggling closely to the arm that had so stoutly done its work that +night. "Why was it?" + +"How do I know, honey?" answered Joe. "Perhaps," he said jokingly, +"they had heard of my increase in salary and thought I was rolling in +money. Sometimes you know they kidnap a man, make him sign a check and +then hold him prisoner until they cash it. No knowing what such rascals +may do." + +"Whatever it was, they've lost all interest in the matter now," said +Jim, with a laugh, as he thought of the discomfited bandits by the +roadside and the fleeing leader in the automobile. + +Both Joe and Jim made light of it to the girls and laughed away their +fears until they had seen them safely to their hotel. But later on two +very sober and wrathful young men sat in their own room discussing the +holdup. + +Joe had told Jim what the bandit leader had said about putting his +pitching arm out of business, and his friend was white with anger. + +"The scoundrels!" he ejaculated. "That meant that they would have +twisted your arm until they had snapped the tendons or pulled it from +its socket and crippled you for life. If I'd known that when I had my +hands on that rascal's throat, I'd have choked the life out of him." + +"You did enough," returned Joe. "As it is they got a pretty good dose. +I know I cracked the leader's wrist, and I heard a bone snap when you +smashed that other fellow. Gee, Jim, you hit like a pile driver." + +"No harder than you did," replied Jim. "That fellow you clipped in the +jaw was dead to the world before he hit the ground." + +"After all, those fellows were merely tools," mused Joe thoughtfully. +"Did you hear the leader say that he had his orders? Who gave him +those orders? If only the girls hadn't been there, I'd have trussed +the rascals up, waited until they had got their senses back, and then +put them through the third degree until I'd found out the name of +their employer. But I wouldn't for the world have the girls know what +those scoundrels were up to. They'd never have a happy moment. They'd +worry themselves to death. We've got to keep this thing absolutely to +ourselves." + +"All the same, I can guess who the fellow was that employed them," said +Jim. + +"I think I can come pretty near it, too," affirmed Joe. "In the first +place, it was a man who had money. Those fellows wouldn't have taken +the job unless they had been well paid. Then, too, it was somebody +who hated me like poison. There are two men who fulfil both of those +conditions, and their names are----" + +"Fleming and Braxton," Jim finished for him. + +"Exactly," agreed Joe. "And knowing what I do of the two, I have a +hunch that it was Braxton." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +FALLING BEHIND + + +"Braxton's the more likely one of the two to use violence--or have it +used," said Jim. "Not but what either one of them would be mean enough +to do it. But Braxton has got more nerve than Fleming. Then, too, I +happen to know that Fleming has run pretty well through his money, +while Braxton is a millionaire. He was pretty hard hit by the failure +of the All-Star League to go through last year, but he's got plenty +left. He could give those rascals a thousand, or five thousand if +necessary, and never feel it." + +"Speaking of money," said Joe, "reminds me of something else that may +be connected with this case. Do you remember what Reggie told us when +he was in Riverside about that fellow in Chicago that was betting great +wads of money that the Giants wouldn't cop the flag? Betting it, Reggie +said, as though he had something up his sleeve, as though he were +betting on a sure thing. Now what could be a surer thing in a race as +close as this than to cripple the Giant team by robbing it of one of +its pitchers? He'd be getting a double satisfaction then--making a pile +of money to make up for his losses last season and getting even with me +for the thrashing I gave him. That is, of course, if the man is really +Braxton." + +"By Jove, I believe you're right!" exclaimed Jim. "Of course that +might seem a little far-fetched, if it weren't for the other things +that point to the same man. But when you remember that Braxton hails +from Chicago, that the anonymous letter had a Chicago postmark, when +you recall that somebody tried to injure us in that road blockade the +day after I thought I saw Braxton in the training town, and that he +was the only one besides ourselves who knew the road we were going +to take--when you take all these things together, it seems a dead +open-and-shut proposition that Braxton was the man that plotted all +this scoundrelism." + +"Some day soon I hope we'll know the truth," said Joe. "And when that +day comes----" + +He did not finish the sentence, but his clenched fist and flashing eyes +were eloquent. + +The next morning the chums went around early, to learn how the girls +were feeling after their trying experience. They found them still a +little nervous and overwrought, but the society of the boys and the +knowledge that they had come through without injury soon brightened +them up, and before long they were their natural selves again. The way +the boys had carried themselves in the fight with their assailants made +them more than ever heroes in the eyes of those they loved best, and if +it had not been for the deeper knowledge they had of the affair, Joe +and Jim would have been rather glad it happened. + +Reggie, of course, had been told of the holdup and was almost +stuttering in his wrath and indignation. But he, like the girls, +figured that it had been an attack simply for the purpose of robbery, +and the boys were not sure enough of Reggie's discretion to tell him +the real facts. They feared that some slip of the tongue on his part +might reveal the matter, and they knew that a constant fear would from +then on shadow the lives of Mabel and Clara. + +In about ten days the next Western trip of the Giants was to begin, and +then Clara would return home, while Mabel would go on with Reggie to +Goldsboro. But those precious ten days were enjoyed to the full by the +young folks. Every hour that the boys could spare from the games was +spent in the society of the girls, and every day that a game was played +Mabel and Clara occupied a box in the grandstand at the Polo Grounds. +The knowledge of the bright eyes that were following their every move +put the boys on their mettle, and they played up to the top of their +form. Jim's progress as a boxman was evident with each succeeding game, +and Joe covered himself with laurels as both pitcher and batsman. But +more than once, after Joe had let down an opposing team with but a +few hits, he had an involuntary shudder as he looked at the mighty +arm that had scored the victory and thought of it as hanging withered +and helpless at his side. And only by the narrowest of margins had he +escaped that fate. + +The hour of parting came at last, and it was a great wrench to all of +them. There were promises on both sides of daily letters, that would +serve to bridge the gulf of separation. + +The fight for the pennant was waxing hotter and hotter. The Giants and +the Pittsburghs were running neck and neck. First one and then the +other was at the head in victories won. At times one would forge ahead +for a week or two, but the other refused obstinately to be shaken off +and would again assume the leadership. Everything promised a ding-dong, +hammer-and-tongs finish. + +Some of the other teams were still in striking distance, but the first +two were really the "class" of the League. The great pitching staff of +the Brooklyns had gone to pieces, and it looked as though they were +definitely out of the running. The Bostons, after a poor start, had +braced and were rapidly improving their average, but they seemed too +far behind to be really dangerous. The unfortunate Phillies were in +for the "cellar championship" and did not have a ghost of a chance. +Of the Western teams, outside of Pittsburgh, no fear was felt, though +the consistent slugging of the Cardinals gave the leaders some uneasy +moments. Still, batting alone could not win games, and the Cardinals' +pitching staff, though it had some brilliant performers, was surpassed +in ability by several teams in the League. + +In the American League also a spirited contest was going on. The White +Sox, who had usually been a dangerous factor, were out of the running +because they had had to build up practically a new team. But the +Clevelands were as strong as they had been the year before, and were +making a great bid for the flag. Detroit had started out brilliantly, +and with its hard hitting outfield was winning many a game by sheer +slugging. Washington loomed up as a dangerous contender, and only a +little while before had won fifteen straight games. + +But the chief antagonist of the Clevelands was the New York Yankee +team. For many years they had struggled to win the championship, but +though they had come so close at one time that a single wild pitch beat +them out of it, they had never been able to gain the coveted emblem. + +"It seems at times as though a 'jinx' were pursuing the Yankees," +remarked Jim. "But this year they have got together a rattling good +crowd in all departments of the game. Most of all that counts in their +hopes, I imagine, is the acquisition of Kid Rose." + +Kid Rose was a phenomenal batter of whom every baseball fan in the +United States was talking. He had been a pitcher on the Red Sox and +had done fine work in the box. It was only after he had been playing +some time in that position that he himself, as well as others, began +to realize the tremendous strength that resided in his batting arm and +shoulders. He was a left handed batter, so that most of his hits went +into right field, or rather into the right field bleachers, where they +counted as home runs. In one season he accumulated twenty-nine home +runs, which was a record for the major leagues. + +The Yankee owners made a deal with the Red Sox by which the "Kid" was +brought to the New York club at a price larger than had ever been paid +for a player. It was a good investment, however, for the newcomer was +excelling his home run record of the year before and drew so many +people to the parks where he played that a constant golden stream +flowed into the strong boxes of the club. He made as many home runs as +all the other players of his team together. Now, owing to his work, +the Yankees were fighting it out with the Clevelands for the lead, and +the papers were already beginning to talk of the possibility of both +championships coming to New York. If this should be the case, the World +Series games would probably draw the greatest crowds that had ever +witnessed such a contest, and the prize money for the players would +undoubtedly be larger than ever before in the history of the game. + +Joe and his comrades needed no such spur as this to make them play +their best. A strong loyalty to the club marked every player of the +team. Still it was not at all an unpleasing thought that the result of +winning would add a good many thousand dollars to the salary of every +member. + +The Giants started out in high hopes on this second Western invasion. + +"Sixteen games to be played on this trip, boys," McRae had said to +them, as they boarded the train at the Pennsylvania Station. "And out +of that sixteen I want at least twelve. Nix on the breaking even stuff. +That won't go with me at all. I want to get so far ahead on this trip +that we'll be on easy street for the rest of the race." + +"Why not cop the whole sixteen, Mac?" asked Larry, with a broad grin. + +"So much the better," answered McRae. "But I'm no hog. Give me an +average of three out of four in each series and I'll ask for nothing +better." + +The team started out as though they were going to give their manager +what he wanted. Their first stop this time was Pittsburgh, and here +they won the first two games right off the reel. The third, however, +was lost by a close margin. In the fourth the Giants' bats got going +and they sent three Pirate pitchers to the showers, winning by the +one-sided score of eleven to two. So that it was in high spirits that +they left the Smoky City for Cincinnati. + +Here they met with a rude shock. The Reds were in the midst of one +of their winning streaks and were on a hitting rampage. They had the +"breaks," too, and cleaned up by taking every game. It was a complete +reversal, and the Giants were stunned. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +IN THE THROES OF A SLUMP + + +Robson's round face had lost its usual smile. McRae's was like a +thundercloud, and the players evaded him as much as they could. Even +Larry was "Laughing Larry" no longer. It was a disgruntled crowd of +baseball players that shook the dust of Cincinnati from their feet and +started for Chicago. + +"Better luck next time," Joe comforted his mates. "After all it's the +uncertainty of the game that makes baseball. How many people would have +been at the park if they thought their pets didn't have a chance to +win?" + +"That's all very well," grumbled Curry, "but we ought at least to have +had our share of the breaks. We hit the ball hard enough, but every +time it went straight to the fielders. They didn't hit any better, but +the ball went just out of the reach of our fellows. Talk about fool +luck! If those Cincinnati players fell in the water they'd come up with +a fish dinner." + +"That's just the reason we're due for a change," argued Jim. "We'll get +it all back from the Cubs." + +But here again there was disappointment. Joe pitched the first game and +won in a close fight, although the Cubs tied it up in the ninth and Joe +had to win his own game in the eleventh by a homer. But the next two +went to Chicago, and in the fourth game, which Jim pitched, the best +he could do was to make it a tie, called in the twelfth on account of +darkness. + +This time it was not luck that gave to the Giants only one game out of +three. They had as many of the breaks of the game as their opponents. +They simply slumped. One of those mysterious things that come to almost +every team once at least in a season had them in its clutches. Perhaps +it was overanxiety, perhaps it was a superstitious feeling that a +"jinx" was after them, but, whatever it was, it spread through the +team like an epidemic. Their fingers were "all thumbs." Their bats had +"holes" in them. The most reliable fielders slipped up on easy chances. +They booted the ball, or if they got it they threw either too high or +too low to first. Double plays became less frequent. Two of the best +batters in the team, Larry and Burkett, fell off woefully in their +hitting. + +In vain McRae raged and stormed. In vain Robbie begged and pleaded +and cajoled. In vain Jim and Joe, who still resisted the infection, +sought to stem the tide of disaster. The members of the team with a few +exceptions continued to act as if they were in a trance. + +McRae did everything in his power to bring about a change. He laid off +Willis and Iredell, and put two promising rookies, Barry and Ward, in +their places. This added a little speed on the bases to the team, but +did not materially add to the batting or fielding, for the rookies were +nervous and made many misplays, while they were lamentably short on the +"inside stuff" that takes long experience to acquire. He shook up the +batting order. But the hits were still few and far between. + +St. Louis gave the Giants a sound trouncing in the first game, but in +the second the Giants came to life and reversed the score. + +Joe was in the box in this contest, and as he came in to the bench in +the fourth inning, he noted, sitting in the grandstand, a figure that +seemed familiar to him. The man seemed to have seen Baseball Joe at the +same time, but he hid himself behind the form of a big man sitting in +front of him, so that Joe could not be sure of his identification. + +"What were you looking at so steadily, Joe?" inquired Jim, as his +friend sat down on the bench beside him. "Did you by any chance catch +sight of the jinx that's been following us?" he continued jokingly. + +"Maybe I did, at that," replied Joe. "I could have sworn that I got a +glimpse of Bugs Hartley in the grandstand." + +"Bugs Hartley?" echoed Jim in surprise. "How could that old rascal have +got as far as St. Louis?" + +"Beat his way, perhaps," answered Joe. "Of course I'm not dead sure but +that I might have been mistaken. And I won't have much time to look for +him while I'm in the box. But suppose in the meantime you go down to +the coaching line near first. While you're pretending to coach, you can +take an occasional look at the grandstand and see if you can pick out +Bugs. He's somewhere about the third row near the center. Just where +the wire netting is broken." + +Jim did as suggested, and studied the grandstand with care. He had only +a chance to make an affirmative nod of the head as Joe, the inning +ended, went out again to the box, but when he returned after pitching +the side out on strikes, Jim told Joe that he was right. + +"It's Bugs all right," he said. "I had a good chance to see that ugly +mug of his, and there can't be any mistake. But what in thunder can he +be doing in St. Louis?" + +"Oh, panhandling and drinking himself to death, I suppose," answered +Joe carelessly, his mind intent upon the game. + +"But how did he get here?" persisted Jim. "I don't like it, old man. It +takes money to travel, and I don't think Bugs could hustle up railroad +fare to save his life. And if somebody gave him the money to get here, +why was it done? I tell you again, Joe, I don't like it." + +"Well, perhaps it's just as well we caught sight of him," admitted Joe. +"It will help us to keep our eyes open." + +In the seventh inning for the Giants, with the score tied at 3 to 3, +Larry started a rally for the Giants by lining out a screaming single +to right. Denton followed with a hit to short that was too hot for +the shortstop to handle. He knocked the ball down, however, and got +it to first. Denton had thought the play would be made on Larry, who +was already on his way to third. Denton, therefore, had rounded first +and started for second, but saw the ball coming and scrambled back to +first. There was a grand mixup, but the umpire declared Denton safe. + +It was a close play, and the St. Louis team was up in arms in a moment. +Some of them, including their manager, rushed to the spot to argue with +the umpire. The crowd also was enraged at the decision and began to +hoot and howl. One or two pop bottles were thrown at the umpire, but +fell short. + +Joe, who was next at bat, had taken his stand at the plate, awaiting +the outcome of the argument. Suddenly a bottle, aimed with great skill +and tremendous force, came through the broken wire netting, whizzed +close by his head, the top of it grazing his ear in passing. If it had +hit his head, it would have injured him greatly beyond a doubt. + +Joe turned toward the stand and saw a man hastily making his way out +toward the entrance. He could only see his back, but he knew at once to +whom that back belonged. + +"Stop him! Stop him!" he shouted, as he threw aside his bat and rushed +toward the stand. + +But Jim had already vaulted over the barrier and was rushing through +the aisle. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +A CLOSE CALL + + +The people in the grandstand had not fully grasped the significance of +the cowardly attack, as the attention of most of them was centered upon +the dispute at first base. But the shout of Baseball Joe and the rush +of Jim through the aisle of the stand had brought them to their feet, +and some of them started in pursuit or tried to stop the flying figure +of the fugitive. + +But this very desire of so many to apprehend him helped in his escape. +Men crowded in the aisle, and Jim, who could otherwise have captured +him, found himself in the midst of a throng that effectually hindered +his progress. He pushed his way through desperately, using his arms and +hands to clear a passage, but by the time he arrived at the outer edge, +the man had disappeared. Either he had mixed with the enormous crowd +or had found his way through one of the numerous exits. In any event, +he was not to be seen, and at last Jim, flaming-eyed and dripping with +sweat from his exertions, had to come back empty-handed. + +In the meantime, the umpire had asserted his authority at first base, +and given the St. Louis players one minute by his watch to resume play. +With much muttering and grumbling they obeyed. The decision stood, and +Larry was on third, while Denton danced around on first and "kidded" +the Cardinal first baseman on the umpire's decision. + +Joe again took up his position at the plate, the fairer-minded among +the spectators giving him a cheer as he did so, to express their +indignation at the dastardly attack that had been made on him. He was +somewhat shaken by the close call he had had, and the first two balls +were strikes. Then he took a grip on himself, and when the next one +came over he smashed a beauty to right. It went for two bases, while +Larry scored easily, and Denton by great running and a headlong slide +also reached the plate. The next man up sacrificed Joe to third, +but there he remained, as the next two batters, despite McRae's +adjurations, were not able to bring him in. + +The Giants, however, had now broken the tie and had a two-run lead, and +although that ended their scoring, it was sufficient, as Joe put on +extra steam and mowed down the Cardinals almost as fast as they came to +the bat. One hit was made off him for the remainder of the game, but as +the batter got no farther than first there was no damage done. + +Joe and Jim did not care to discuss the matter before their mates, and +the attack was put down to some rowdy who was sore at the umpire's +decision and took that method of showing it. But the two friends knew +that it was much more than that. + +"Well, what do you think now of my hunch?" demanded Jim, when the chums +were alone together. "Was I right when I said I was uneasy about that +fellow being in the grandstand?" + +"You certainly were, Jim," answered Joe. "It must have been Bugs +who threw that bottle. I know at any rate that it was he whom I saw +hustling out of the stands. And when I looked at where he had been +sitting the seat was empty." + +"It was Bugs all right," affirmed Jim with decision. "I saw his face +once, when he glanced behind him while he was running. Then, too, only +a pitcher could have hurled the bottle with the swiftness and precision +that he did. It went nearly as far as the pitcher's box before it +struck the ground. Gee! my heart was in my mouth for a second when I +saw it go whizzing past your ear. If it had hit you fair and square, it +would have been good night." + +"It did barely touch me," replied Joe, pointing to a scratch on his +ear. "The old rascal hasn't forgotten how to throw. How that fellow +must hate me! And yet I was the best friend that he had on the team." + +"He hates you all right," replied Jim. "But it wasn't only his own +personal feeling that prompted him to do that thing to-day. That isn't +Bugs' way. He'd dope your coffee on the sly. Or he'd throw a stone at +your head in a dark street, as he did that time when we'd started on +our tour around the world. But to do a thing in the open, as he did +to-day, means that he had a mighty big incentive to lay you out. That +incentive was probably money. Somebody has put up the cash to send him +to St. Louis, and that same somebody has probably promised him a big +wad of dough if he could do you up. The chance came to-day, when the +fans began to throw bottles at the umpire. He figured that that was the +time to get in his work. If he'd been caught, he could have said that +he was only one of a good many who did the same thing, and that he had +no idea the bottle was going to hit anybody." + +"Then you think that Bugs this time was acting as the tool of Braxton, +or whoever it is that's trying to put me out of business," remarked Joe. + +"Think so!" cried Jim. "I'm sure of it. So many things, all pointing to +deliberate purpose, don't happen by accident. The same fellow who hired +those auto bandits to cripple you hired Bugs for the same purpose. Lots +of people have heard of the hatred that Bugs has for you. I suppose +he's panning you all the time in the joints where he hangs out. This +fellow that's after your hide has heard of Bugs and put him on the +job. If he can't get you in one way, he's going to try to get you in +another. He figures that some time or other one of his schemes will go +through. Gee!" he exclaimed, jumping up and pacing the floor, "what +would I give just to come face to face with him and have him in a room +alone with me for five minutes. Just five minutes! I'd change his face +so that his own brother wouldn't know him." + +"I hope that job's reserved for me," replied Joe, as his fist clenched. +"He'd get a receipt in full for all I owe him." + +"In the meantime, what shall we do about Bugs?" asked Jim anxiously. +"He ought to be put in jail. It isn't right that a man who's tried to +cripple another should be at large." + +"No," agreed Joe, "it isn't. But I don't see just what we can do about +it. The chances are ten to one against his being found. Even if he +were, nobody could be found probably who saw him actually throw the +bottle. We didn't ourselves, though we feel absolutely certain that he +did. He could explain his leaving by saying that he was taken ill and +had to leave. Then, too, if he were arrested, we'd have to stay here +and prosecute him, and we can't stay away from the team. Besides the +whole thing would get in the papers, and Mabel and Clara and all the +folks would have heart failure about it. No, I guess we'll have to keep +quiet about it." + +"I suppose we will," admitted Jim reluctantly. "But some day this +scoundrel who's hounding you will be caught in the open. And I'm still +hoping for that five minutes!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +SPEEDING UP + + +St. Louis was in good form on the following day, and a perfect deluge +of hits came from their bats. The Giants, too, had a good hitting day, +and the fans who like to see free batting had their desire satisfied to +the full. And their pleasure was all the greater because the home team +had the best of the duel, and came out on top by a score of 17 to 12. + +Jim was in the box on the next day, and by superb pitching had the St. +Louis sluggers hitting like a kindergarten team. They simply could not +solve him. His team mates had scarcely anything to do, and only by the +narrowest of margins did he miss turning the Cardinals back without a +hit. One hit narrowly escaped the fingers of the second baseman, as +he leaped in the air for it. But it did escape him, and counted for +the only hit made by the St. Louis in the game. It was a magnificent +exhibition and wound up a disastrous trip in a blaze of glory. + +Still it could not be denied that the trip had put a big dent in the +Giants' aspirations for the pennant. Instead of the twelve games out +of sixteen that McRae had asked for, they had only turned in six +victories. It was the most miserable record that the Giants had made +for years. + +"And we call ourselves a good road team!" snorted Curry in disgust, as +they settled down in the Pullman for the long ride back from St. Louis +to New York. "A bunch of school girls could have done better work." + +"Luck was against us," ventured Larry. "It sure was against us." + +"Luck, nothing!" exclaimed Curry. "We simply fell down, and fell down +hard. The whole League is laughing at us. Look at the way the other +Eastern teams held up their end. The Brooklyns copped ten games, the +Bostons got eleven, and the Phillies pulled down seven. We ought to +sneak back into New York on a freight train instead of riding in +Pullmans." + +"I guess there won't be any band at the station to meet us," remarked +Joe. "But after all, any team is liable to have a slump and play like +a lot of dubs. Let's hope we've got all the bad playing out of our +systems. From now on we're going to climb." + +"That's the way to talk," chimed in Jim. "Of course we can't deny that +we've stubbed our toes on this trip. But we know in our heart that +we've got the best team in the League. We've got the Indian sign on all +of them. The fans that are roasting us now will be shouting their heads +off when we get started on our winning streak. Remember, boys, it's a +long worm that has no turning." + +There was a general laugh at this, and the spirits of the party +lightened a little. But not all of the gloom was lifted. + +The prediction that their reception in New York would be rather frosty +was true. Such high hopes had been built on the result of this trip +that the reaction was correspondingly depressing. And what made the +Giants feel the change of attitude the more keenly was the fact that +while they had been doing so poorly, the Yankees at home had been going +"like a house afire." They had taken the lead definitely away from the +Clevelands, and it did not seem as though there was any team in their +League that could stop them. New York was quite sure that it was going +to have one championship team. But it was quite as certain that it was +not going to have two. That hope had gone glimmering. + +Both teams were occupying the Polo Grounds for the season, while the +new park of the Yankees was being completed. The schedule therefore had +been arranged so that while one of the teams was playing at home the +other was playing somewhere out of town. + +Thus on the very day the Giants reached home the Yankees were starting +out on their trip to other cities. They went away in the glory of +victory. The Giants came home in the gloom of defeat. + +The change of sentiment was visible in the first home game that the +Giants played. On the preceding day, at their last game, the Yankees +had played before a crowd of twenty-five thousand. The first game of +the Giants drew scarcely more than three thousand. Many of these were +the holders of free season passes, others, like the reporters, had to +be there, while the rest were made up of the chronic fans who followed +the Giants through thick and thin. There was no enthusiasm, and even +the fact that the Giants won did not dispel the funereal atmosphere. + +And then the Giants began to climb! + +At first the process did not attract much attention. The public was so +thoroughly disheartened by the downfall of their favorites in the West, +that they took it for granted that they were out of the running for the +pennant. Of course it was assumed that they would finish in the first +division--it was very seldom that a New York team could not be depended +on to do that--and that by some kind of miracle it might be possible +to finish second. But there was very little consolation in that. +New York wanted a winner or nothing. If the Giants could not fly the +championship flag at the Polo Grounds, nobody cared very much whether +they came in second or eighth or anywhere between. + +The first team to visit the Polo Grounds was the Bostons. They had +greatly improved their game since the beginning of the season, and +were even thought to have a look-in for the flag. They chuckled to +themselves at the thought that they would catch the Giants in the slump +that had begun out West and press them still deeper in the direction of +the cellar. At first they thought they might even make a clean sweep. +They lost the first game, but only by reason of a muff of an easy fly +that let in two unearned runs in the sixth. That of course disposed of +the clean sweep idea, but still, three out of four would do. But when +they lost the second game also, their jubilation began to subside. Now +the best they could hope for was an even break. But again they lost, +and the climax was put to their discomfiture when the Giants simply +walked away with the fourth game by a score of 10 to 0. + +But even with this series of four in a row captured by the Giants, the +public refused to enthuse. It might have been only a flash in the pan. +It is true that the sporting writers were beginning to sit up and take +notice. Most of their time hitherto had been spent in advising McRae +through the columns of their paper how he might strengthen his team +for next year. The present season of course was past praying for. Yet +there was a distinct chirking up on the part of the scribes, although +they carefully refrained from making any favorable predictions that +afterward they might be sorry for. They would wait awhile and see. +Besides, the Brooklyns were coming next, and they had usually found it +easy to defeat the Giants. If the Giants could hold the men from over +the big bridge to an even break, it might mean a great deal. + +The Brooklyns came, saw and--were conquered. Four times in succession +they went down before superb pitching and heavy batting. Four times +they called on their heavy sluggers and their best boxmen, but the +Giants rode over them roughshod. The sporting writers sat up and rubbed +their eyes. Was this the same team that had come home forlorn and +bedraggled after their last trip? Had the Giants really come to life? +Was the pennant still a possibility? + +By this time the public had begun to wake up. The stands at the Polo +Grounds no longer looked like a desert. The crowds began to pack the +subway cars on their way up to the grounds. Everywhere the question was +beginning to be asked: "What do you think of the Giants? Have they +still got a chance?" + +It was the Phillies' turn next, and they had also to bend the knee. The +Giants took them into camp as easily as they had the Braves and the +Dodgers. And to rub it in, two of the games were shutouts. + +Twelve games in a row, and the Giants tearing through the other teams +like so many runaway horses! + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE WINNING STREAK + + +The Giants were in for a winning streak, and New York City promptly +went baseball mad! + +Now there was no question of filling the grounds. It was rather a +question of getting there early enough to secure seats. + +The Polo Grounds could accommodate thirty-five thousand, and again and +again that number was reached and exceeded. The great amphitheatre was +a sea of eager faces. Fans stood in hundreds in the rear of the upper +grandstands. The lower stand too was filled to overflowing, and the +bleachers were packed. It was astonishing how many business men closed +their rolltop desks with a bang on those summer afternoons. Young and +old alike were wild to be at the games and see the Giants add one more +to their rapidly mounting list of victories. + +Thirteen--fourteen--fifteen--sixteen! Were the Giants ever going to be +stopped? If so, who was going to stop them? The Western teams were +coming now and the St. Louis team had left their scalps in the Giant's +wigwam. Chicago was next in line. Could they stop the Giants in their +mad rush for the flag? + +They could not, although they tried desperately, and Brennan, their +resourceful manager, used all the cunning and guile that his long +experience had taught him. The Giants tamed the Cubs with a thoroughness +that left nothing to be desired from a New York point of view. And now +the string of victories had mounted to twenty. + +Old records were got out and furbished up. It was found that once +before, when Markwith and Hughson were in their prime, the New Yorks +had won twenty-six games in a row. Could they repeat? Could they beat +their own record that had been hung up so long for other teams to aim +at? That was the question that absorbed public interest, not only in +New York, but in baseball circles all over the country. + +The reason for this phenomenal spurt of the Giants, it was recognized, +could be found in two chief factors. One was the wonderful work being +done by Joe both as a pitcher and a batter. The other was the marvelous +advance that had been made by Jim as a twirler. + +Joe had never had such complete mastery of the ball as he was showing +this season. Even the pitching he had done the previous year, in the +World Series between the Giants and the Sox, paled in comparison with +what he was doing now. His control was something almost magical. It was +such a rarity for him to give a base on balls that when it happened it +was specially noted by the sporting writers. He worked the corners of +the plate to perfection. He mixed up his fast ones with slow teasers +that made the opposing batsmen look ridiculous as they broke their +backs reaching for them. His slants and twists and hops and curves had +never been so baffling. It was fast getting to the point where the +other teams were half beaten as soon as they saw Joe pick up his glove +and go into the box. + +But it was not even his pitching, great as it was, that held the +worshiping attention of the crowds. It was the home run record that he +was piling up in such an amazing fashion that already he was rated by +many the equal of the wonderful Kid Rose. That wonderful eye of his +had learned to time the ball so accurately as it came up to the plate +that the bat met it at precisely the hundredth part of a second when +it did the most good. Then all his mighty arm and shoulder leaned on +the ball and gave it wings. Almost every other game now saw a home run +chalked up to his credit. In three games of the winning streak he had +made two home runs in a single game. It was common talk that he was +out to tie the record of Ed Delehanty, the one-time mighty slugger +of the Phillies, who in the years of long ago had hung up a record of +four homers in a game. He had not done it yet, but there was still time +before the season closed. + +More still would have gone to his credit had not the opposing pitchers +become so afraid of him that they would not let him hit the ball. Again +and again when he came to the bat, the catcher would stand away off to +the side and the pitcher would deliberately send over four balls, so +wide that Joe could not possibly reach them without stepping out of the +box. This was a mighty disappointment to the crowds, half of whom had +come with no other object in view than to see Joe smash out a homer. +They would jeer and taunt the pitcher for his cowardice in fearing +to match his slants against Joe's bat, but the practice continued +nevertheless. + +Even this, however, was not a total loss to the Giants. It put Joe on +first anyway, and counted at least for as much as a single would have +done. And Joe was so fleet of foot on the bases that McRae once said +jokingly that he would have to have detectives on the field to keep him +from stealing so many bags. Many a base on balls thus given to Joe out +of fear for his mighty bat was eventually turned into a run that helped +to win the game. + +One morning when Joe, with the rest of the Giant team, was going out +on the field for practice, his eye caught sight of a long white streak +of kalsomine that ran up the right field wall to the top, behind the +bleachers. + +"What's the idea?" he asked, turning to Robbie, who was close beside +him. + +"Don't you really know, you old fence-breaker?" asked Robbie, a smile +breaking over his jovial face. + +"Blest if I do," answered Joe. + +"Well, I'll tell you," answered Robbie. "The fact is that you've +got into such a habit of knocking the ball into the right field +stands--mighty good habit, too, if you ask me--that the umpires have +asked us to paint this line so that they can see whether the hit is +fair or foul. The ordinary hit they can tell easy enough. But yours are +so far out that they have to have especial help in judging them. It's +the first time it's had to be done for any hitter in the history of the +game. Some compliment, what?" + +But Joe's work, wonderful as it was, would not alone have started and +maintained the Giants' winning streak. No one man, however great, can +carry a whole team on his shoulders. The next most important element +was the pitching that Jim was showing. It was only second in quality +to that turned in by Joe himself. Jim was a natural ball player, and +his close association and friendship with Joe had taught him all the +fine points of the game. He had learned the weaknesses of opposing +batters. He knew those who would bite at an outcurve and those to whom +a fast high one was poison; those who would offer at the first ball and +those who would try to wait him out; those who would crowd the plate +and those who would flinch when he wound the ball around their necks. +He had a splendid head on his shoulders and a world of power in his +biceps; and those two things go far to make a winning combination. + +Another element of strength was the return of Hughson to the team and +his ability to take his regular turn in the box. His arm still hurt +him, and it was beginning to be evident that he would never again be +the Hughson of old. But his skill and knowledge of the game and the +batters was so great that it more than atoned for the weakness of his +pitching arm. His control was as wonderful as ever, and he nursed his +arm as much as possible. He did not attempt to do much striking out, +as that would have been too severe a strain. More and more he let the +batsmen hit the ball, and depended upon the eight men behind him to +back him up. Often he would go through an inning this way and the three +put outs would be made by the infield on grounders and the outfielders +on flies. But once let a man get on first and the "Old Master" would +tighten up and prevent scoring. By thus favoring his arm, he was able +to turn in his share of the victories. + +Markwith also had a new lease of life, and was winging them over as in +the days when he had been without question the best port side flinger +in the League. + +In fact the pitching staff was at the height of its form and had +never been going better. And the rest of the team, without exception, +was playing great ball. There was not a cripple on the list. Willis +and Iredell had been restored to their positions at third and short +respectively, and were playing the best ball of their careers. With +Larry at second and Burkett at first, they formed a stonewall infield +that seldom let anything get away from them. They made hair-raising +stops and dazzling double plays, gobbling up grounders on either side, +spearing high liners that were ticketed for singles, and played like +supermen. The outfielders had caught the spirit of enthusiasm that +pervaded the team, and were making what seemed like impossible catches. +Add to this that the team members were batting like fiends and running +bases like so many ghosts, and the reason for the winning streak +becomes apparent. The Giants were simply playing unbeatable ball. + +So the Cincinnatis found when the time came for their heads to drop +into the basket. That series was sweet revenge for the Giants, who had +not forgotten the beating the Reds had given them on their last swing +around the circuit. + +Twenty-one--twenty-two--twenty-three--twenty-four. Two more games to +tie their own previous record. Three more to beat it. Would they do it? + +Many shook their heads. On the mere law of averages, a break for the +Giants was now due. The team had been under a fearful strain. Such +phenomenal work could not last forever. + +Besides, the severest test was now at hand. The Pittsburghs were +coming. The Smoky City boys had been playing great ball themselves. +They had won nineteen games out of the last twenty-four, and the margin +of seven games that they had had when the Giants began their streak +still kept them in the lead by two games. They had boasted that they +would break the Giants' streak as soon as they struck New York. + +The time had come to make good their boast. Would they do it? + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +STRIVING FOR MASTERY + + +It was Jim's turn to go on the mound in the first game with the +Pittsburghs, and in the practice work before the game he showed that +he was keyed up for his work. For so comparatively young a pitcher, +he might well have been a bit nervous at facing so redoubtable a team +before the immense crowd that had gathered to see whether or not the +Giants' winning streak was doomed to be broken. But there was no trace +of it in his manner, and McRae, looking him over, concluded that there +was no reason to change his selection. + +His confidence was justified. Jim that afternoon was at as high a point +of pitching form as he had ever reached in his career. He pitched a +masterly game and held the Pirate sluggers to four hits. His support +was all that could be desired, and some of the stops and throws of his +comrades bordered on the miraculous. The Giants came out at the big end +of the score, their tally being three to the solitary run scored by +their opponents. + +"Twenty-five!" chuckled Joe, as he slapped his friend on the back, when +the Pirates had been turned back in their half of ninth. "Jim, you're a +lulu! You had those fellows rolling over and playing dead." + +"I guess we had all the breaks," returned Jim, smiling modestly. + +"Nothing of the kind," disclaimed Joe. "If anything, they had whatever +breaks there were. It was simply a case of dandy pitching. You had them +buffaloed." + +"Only one more game to go before we tie our own record," said Jim. +"Gee, Joe, I wish you were going to pitch to-morrow. We're just in +sight of the Promised Land. That will be the most important game of +all." + +"Oh, I don't know," replied Joe. "It will be something to tie the +record, but I want to break it. Day after to-morrow will be the +big day. That is, if we win to-morrow, and I think we shall. It's +Markwith's turn to go in, and he's going fine. The Pittsburghs aren't +any too good against left-handed pitchers, anyway." + +But whatever the alleged weakness of the Pirates against southpaws, +they showed little respect for Markwith's offerings on the next day. +They had on their batting clothes and clouted the ball lustily. Only +phenomenal fielding on the part of the Giants kept the score down, and +again and again Markwith was pulled out of a hole by some dazzling +bit of play when a run seemed certain. Still he worried through until +the first part of the eighth. At that time the score was five to four +in favor of the visitors. The Giants had been batting freely, but not +quite as hard as the Pirates. + +In the eighth, Markwith was plainly beginning to wobble in his control. +He passed two men in quick succession. That was enough for McRae, and +Joe, who had been warming up at the right of the grandstand, was sent +into the box. + +The Pirates' scoring stopped then and there. Astley, who was at the +bat, fanned on three successive strikes. Brown hit to the box and Joe +made a lightning throw to Larry at second, who relayed it to first for +a sparkling double play, putting out the side. + +The Giants' half of the eighth was scoreless. All the Pittsburghs had +to do now was to hold them down for one more inning, and the winning +streak would be broken. + +Joe made short work of the visitors in their last inning and the Giants +came in for their final half. + +Willis was the first man up. He made a savage lunge at the first ball +pitched, but caught it on the under side, and it went up directly +over the plate. Jenkins the Pittsburgh catcher, did not have to move +from his tracks to gather it in. Larry sent a fierce low liner to +Baskerville at short, who made a magnificent catch, picking it off his +shoe tops. Two out, and the crowd fairly groaned as the winning streak +seemed at last about to be broken. + +All hopes were now pinned on Denton. All he could do, however, was to +dribble a slow one to the box. It seemed a certain out, and nine times +out of ten would have been. But the Pittsburgh pitcher, in running in +on it, snatched it up so hurriedly that it fell out of his hand. He +recovered it in an instant and shot it to first. But that fumble had +been fatal, and Denton by a headlong slide reached first before the +ball. + +A tremendous roar arose from the stands, and the people who had started +to leave sat down suddenly and sat down hard. + +In the Giants' dugout, all was excitement and animation. McRae ran down +to first to coach Denton. Robbie rushed over to Joe, who was next in +turn and had already picked up his bat. + +"For the love of Pete, Joe," he begged, "paste the old apple. Show them +again what you've been showing us all along. Kill the ball! Just once, +Joe, just once! You can do it. One good crack, and you'll save the +winning streak." + +"I'll do my best," was Joe's reply. + +Frantic adjurations of the same nature were showered on Joe as he took +up his position at the plate. Then there was a great silence, as the +crowd fairly held their breath. + +But the crafty Pittsburgh pitcher was to be reckoned with. He had no +mind to see the game go glimmering just at the moment it seemed to be +won. He signaled to his catcher and deliberately pitched two balls wide +of the plate. It was evident that he was going to give Joe his base on +balls and take a chance with Mylert, the next batter. + +But the best laid plans sometimes miscarry. The third ball he pitched +did not go as wide of the plate as he had meant it should. Joe sized it +up, saw that he could reach it, and swung for it with all his might. + +There was a crack like that of a rifle as the bat met the ball and +sent it mounting ever higher and higher toward the right field wall. +It seemed as though it were endowed with wings. On it went in a mighty +curve and landed at last in the topmost row of the right field seats. +There it was pocketed by a proud and happy fan, while Joe, sending in +Denton ahead of him, jogged easily around the bases to the home plate. +The game was won! The winning streak was saved! The Giants had tied +their record, which had stood untouched for so many years! + +The scene in the stands and bleachers beggared description. Roar after +roar went up, while the crazy spectators threw their straw hats into +the air and scattered them by scores over the field. The Polo Grounds +had been transformed into a madhouse, but differing from other insane +asylums in that all the inmates were happy. All, that is, except the +Pirates and their supporters, who thought unspeakable things as they +saw the game in a twinkling torn from their grasp. + +Joe's only escape from his enthusiastic well-wishers lay in flight, and +he made a bee line for the clubhouse. He got inside not a moment too +soon. For a long time afterward a great crowd hung about the entrance, +waiting for him to reappear, and it was only by slipping out of a back +entrance that he eluded them. + +The old record had been tied. Could it be beaten? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +HOLDING THEM DOWN + + +Baseball circles had rarely been more deeply stirred than by the issue +of the game, by winning which the Giants had tied their record. It was +not merely the winning, but the sensational way in which Baseball Joe's +home run had turned the scales in the last minute and snatched victory +from defeat that excited the fans. + +But now that the record was tied, would the Giants be able to hang +up a new one? That was the question on every lip, the question whose +discussion filled column after column of the sporting pages of the +newspapers. + +All agreed that the Giants had been lucky to win. If it had not been +for the error of the pitcher on Denton's slow dribble, they would have +lost. But it was conceded that it was not luck that had secured that +mighty home run that Joe had hammered out to the bleachers. That was +ball playing. That was muscle. That was determination. Once again his +cool head and quick eye and powerful arm had shown that the game was +not over until the last man was out. + +It was Joe's turn to pitch, and it was upon that fact more than +anything else that the vast crowd that stormed the Polo Grounds relied +for annexing the twenty-seventh game. The Pittsburghs too were holding +out their star pitcher, Hooper, for that critical game, and it was +certain that they would put forth superhuman efforts to win. + +In more senses than one, the game was an important one. The last two +victories of the Giants had wiped out the lead that the Pirates had +had over them, and the two teams were now on even terms in games won +and lost for the season, so that the Pirates had a double incentive to +win. If they took the game they would not only prevent the Giants from +breaking their own record for a winning streak, but would also once +more stand at the head of the League. + +"It's up to you, Joe," McRae said, just before the bell rang for the +game to begin. "How are you feeling? Are you tired at all from pitching +those last two innings yesterday?" + +"Not a bit tired," replied Joe promptly. "That little work yesterday +was just the practice I needed to get into form. I'm feeling as fine as +silk." + +"You look it," said the manager admiringly, as his eye took in the +strong, lithe figure, the bronzed face and clear eyes of his star +pitcher. "Well go in now Joe and eat them up. Hooper will be in the +box for them, and I'm not denying that he's some pitcher. But he never +saw the day that you couldn't run rings around him. Go in and win." + +It was evident from the start that there would be no such free hitting +that day as there had been the day before. Both boxmen were in superb +form, and by the time the first inning for each side was over, the +spectators had settled down to witness a pitcher's duel. + +Hooper was a spitball artist, and his moist slants kept the Giants +guessing in the early part of the game. But while he depended chiefly +on this form of delivery, he had other puzzlers in his assortment, and +he mixed them up in a most deceptive manner. In the first three innings +he had four strike-outs to his credit, and when the Giants did connect +with the ball it went up into the air and into the hands of some +waiting fielder. His control of the slippery sphere also was excellent, +and he issued no passes. + +In the fourth inning, the Giants began to nibble at his offerings. +Curry rapped one out to right for the first single of the game. Iredell +was robbed of a hit by a great jumping catch of O'Connor, who speared +the ball with his gloved hand. Burkett lined out a two-bagger that +carried Curry easily to third, but in trying to stretch the hit, he +was caught by Ralston's magnificent throw to the plate. Burkett in +the meantime had made a dash for third, but thought better of it, and +scrambled back to second just in time. The next man up went out from +short to first and the inning ended without scoring. But the Giants had +proved to themselves that Hooper could be hit, and it was with renewed +confidence that they took their places in the field. + +Joe in the meantime was mowing his opponents down with the regularity +of a machine. His mighty arm swung back and forth like a piston rod. +He had never cared for the spitball, as he knew that sooner or later +it destroyed a pitcher's effectiveness. But in his repertoire of +curves and slants he had weapons far more deadly. His fast straight +one whizzed over the plate like a bullet. He mixed these up with a +slow, dipping curve that the Pirates endeavored in vain to solve. Only +with the head of the Pittsburgh batting order did he at times resort +to the fadeaway. That he kept in reserve for some moment when danger +threatened. Twice in the first five innings he set down the side +on strikes, and not a man reached first on balls. It was wonderful +pitching, and again and again Joe was forced to doff his cap to the +cheers of the crowd, as he came into the bench. + +In the sixth inning, the Giants got busy. Wheeler lashed out a whale of +a three-bagger to left. Willis laid down a neat sacrifice, bringing +Wheeler home for the first run of the game. Larry hit the ball on the +seam for a single, but was caught a moment later in trying to purloin +second. The next batter up went out on strikes and the inning ended +with the Giants one run to the good. + +The seventh inning came and passed and not a hit had been made by the +Pirates. Then it began to be realized that Joe was out for a no-hit +game, and the crowd rooted for him madly. + +Joe himself was about the only cool man on the grounds. He measured +every man that came to the plate and took his time about pitching to +him. Man after man he fanned or made him hit feeble grounders to the +infield. And that wonderful control of his forbade any passes. The +Pirates did not dare to wait him out. It was a case of strike or be +struck out, and so they struck at the ball, but usually struck only the +empty air. + +That ball! Sometimes it was a wheedling, coaxing ball, that sauntered +up to the plate as though just begging to be hit. Again it was a +vanishing ball that grew smaller from the time it left Joe's hand until +it became a mere pin point as it glinted over the rubber. Still again +it was a savage ball that shot over the plate with a rush and a hiss +that made the batter jump back. But always it was a deceptive ball, +that slipped by, hopped by, loafed by, twisted by, dodged by, and the +Pirate sluggers strained their backs as well as their tempers in trying +to hit it. + +McRae and Robbie on the bench watched with fascination and delight the +work of their king pitcher. + +"It's magic, I tell you, John, just magic!" blurted out Robbie, as +another victim went out on strikes and threw down his bat in disgust. + +"It sure looks like it," grinned McRae. "He has those fellows jumping +through the hoops all right. I'm free to say I never saw anything like +it." + +"He's got the ball trained, I tell you," persisted Robbie, rubbing his +hands in jubilation. "It's an educated ball. It does just what Joe +tells it to." + +Almost uncontrollable excitement prevailed as the Pirates came in for +their last inning. Their heaviest sluggers were coming to the bat, and +now if ever was the time to do something. They figured that the strain +must have told on Joe and that a crack was due. + +Their hope grew dimmer, however, when Ralston, after fouling off two, +fanned on the third strike. But it revived again when Baskerville +rolled an easy one to Larry, that the latter fumbled for a moment and +then hurled to first a fraction of a second too late. + +There was a roar of glee from the Pirates, and they began to chatter +in the hope of rattling the pitcher. Bemis, the next man up, came to +the plate swinging three bats. He discarded two of them and glared at +Joe. + +"Here's where you meet your finish," he boasted, as he brandished his +bat. + +Joe merely smiled and put one over. Bemis drove it straight for the +box. Joe leaped into the air, caught it in his ungloved hand and shot +it like lightning to first, catching Baskerville before he could get +back. + +It was as pretty a double play as had ever been made on the New York +grounds! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A CRUSHING BLOW + + +The play had been so swift that the eye could scarcely follow the ball, +and it was a few seconds before the majority of the spectators could +grasp what had happened. + +Then a tremendous shout went up that rolled across the field in +increasing volume as the crowds realized that they had seen what would +probably never be seen again in a single game. They had seen the New +York team break its own record for straight wins, and in addition they +had witnessed that rarest of pitching exploits, a no-hit game. Not even +a scratch hit had marred Joe's wonderful performance, nor had he given +a single base on balls. It was a red-letter day for the Giants and for +Joe, and the people who had been there would talk about that game for +years. + +If any one should have been elated by the marvelous result of that +day's work, it was Joe. He had never stood on a higher pinnacle, +except perhaps when he had won the last game of the World Series +the preceding year. He was more than ever a hero in the eyes of the +baseball public of New York, and within five minutes after the game +was over the wires had flashed the news to every city of the country. +But despite his natural pride in his achievement and his pleasure in +knowing that he had won this critical game for his team, it was a very +subdued and worried Joe that hurried to the clubhouse after the game +was over. There his mates gathered, in the seventh heaven of delight, +and there was a general jubilee, in which McRae and Robson joined. + +"We did it, we did it!" cried Robbie, bouncing about like a rubber ball +in his excitement. "We broke the record! Twenty-seven games in a row!" + +"Where do you get that 'we' stuff, you old porpoise," grinned McRae, +poking him jovially in the ribs. "Seems to me that Joe had something to +do with it. Put it there, Matson," he went on, extending his hand. "You +pitched a game that will go down in baseball history and you saved our +winning streak from going up in smoke." + +Joe put out his left hand, and McRae looked a little surprised. Then +he glanced down at Joe's right hand, and a look of consternation swept +over his face. + +"Great Scott!" he cried. "What's the matter with your hand? It's +swelled to twice its usual size." + +[Illustration: "GREAT SCOTT!" HE CRIED. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOUR +HAND?"] + +"It was that drive of Bemis', I guess," replied Joe. "When I nabbed it, +I seemed to feel something crack in the hand. Perhaps, though, it's +only strained. It will probably be all right by to-morrow." + +"To-morrow!" roared McRae, as all crowded around anxiously. "There'll +be no waiting till to-morrow. That hand is worth a half million dollars +to the New York club, to say nothing of its worth to yourself. Where's +the trainer? Where's the doctor? Jump, some of you fellows, and get +them here quick!" + +There was a general scurrying around, and in a few minutes both of +those men were examining the injured hand with the greatest solicitude. +They looked grave when they had finished. + +"It's hard to tell just what has happened until the swelling has been +reduced," pronounced the doctor, as he busied himself with splints and +lotions. "I'm afraid, though, that it's more than a sprain. When it +swells as much as that it generally means that a bone has been broken." + +There was a general groan. + +"That means, does it, that he will be out of the game for the rest of +the season?" asked McRae, in notes of despair. + +"Oh, I wouldn't say that," the doctor hastened to reassure him. "It may +be only a trifling fracture, and in that case he will have to be out +only for a short time. But for the next few weeks anyway, he isn't +likely to do any more pitching." + +"Who's the best specialist in New York?" demanded McRae. + +The doctor named a surgeon of national reputation. + +"'Phone him to come at once," commanded McRae. "Or, better yet, Joe, +you'd better come right with me now. My car's outside and I'll get you +up there in fifteen minutes. Every minute counts now." + +Joe hurriedly finished dressing, and McRae bundled him into his +automobile. It was a speedy machine, and it was to be feared that the +traffic laws were not strictly observed as it made its way downtown. +But the traffic policemen all knew McRae and Joe, and there was nothing +to prevent their getting to their destination in record time. + +A telephone call from the clubhouse had already notified the eminent +surgeon that the pair were coming, and he was waiting for them. Without +a moment's delay, they were ushered into his inner office, where he +stripped off the bandages from the hand and made a thorough examination. + +"There is a small dislocation," he said when he had finished. "But I +think it will yield readily to treatment. It will not be a permanent +injury, and in a little while the hand will be as good as ever." + +Both drew a sigh of immense relief. + +"A little while," repeated McRae. "Just what do you mean by that, +Doctor? You know we're fighting for the pennant, and we're depending on +this king pitcher of ours more than on any one else to win out. Every +day he's out of the race weakens our chances." + +"I can't tell that definitely until to-morrow morning," the doctor +replied. "But offhand I should say for two or three weeks at least." + +"Two or three weeks!" repeated McRae in tones of mingled dismay and +relief. "In those two or three weeks we may lose the flag. But thank +heaven it's no worse." + +After making an appointment for the next morning, McRae drove Joe to +his hotel. + +"It's bad enough, Joe," he said to him in parting. "I don't know how +we're going to spare you while we're in the thick of the fight. But +when I think of what it would mean to the team if you were knocked out +altogether, I've got no kick coming. We're ahead of the Pittsburghs +now, anyway, thanks to your splendid work, and if we can just hold our +own till you get back, we'll pull out all right yet." + +Joe found Jim waiting for him, full of anxiety and alarm. But his face +lighted up when he learned that the injury was not a permanent one. + +"It would have been a mighty sight better to have lost the game +to-day than to have bought it at such a price," he said. "But after +all, nothing matters as long as your hand is safe. That hand is your +fortune." + +"To-day was my unlucky day," remarked Joe ruefully, as he looked at his +bandaged hand. + +"In one sense it was," replied Jim, "but in another it wasn't. To-day +you hung up a record. You saved the Giants' winning streak and you +pitched a no-hit game!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +LINING THEM OUT + + +The pain in his injured hand was intense that night, and Joe paced +the floor for hours before he was able to get to sleep. By morning, +however, the hand had yielded to treatment, and the swelling had +greatly decreased. At the earliest hour possible Joe, accompanied by +Jim, was at the surgeon's office. + +The doctor's face expressed his satisfaction, as, after an examination, +he rendered his verdict. + +"It isn't as bad as I feared," he said while he deftly rebandaged the +injured member. "This dislocation is slight and you'll soon be as right +as ever. But you've got to take good care of it. It will be some time +before you can pitch." + +"But how about batting?" asked Joe anxiously. "That isn't a steady +strain, as I'd only have to do it three or four times in the course of +the game." + +"I don't know," replied the doctor with a smile. "I'm not familiar +enough with the game to tell where the strain comes in that case. I +can imagine, however, that it would be chiefly in the arm and shoulder. +It's possible that you may be able to bat before you can pitch. But I +can tell more about that later on, as I see how your hand mends. For +the present, you'll have to go slow." + +The sporting writers had no reason to complain of the dullness of news +for that day's issue. The papers were ringing with the stirring events +of the day before. Columns of space were devoted to the story of the +game, and there was unstinted praise of Joe for his wonderful exploit. + +But mingled with the jubilation was a strain of apprehension. The +accident that had befallen the great pitcher was a subject of the +keenest anxiety. It was recognized that a great blow had been struck at +the Giants' hope for the pennant. To have the greatest twirler of the +team put out of the game just in the hottest part of the fight was a +disaster that might prove fatal. Pittsburgh stock took a decided upward +bound in consequence. + +The effect on the Giants themselves, as far as their morale was +concerned, was almost certain to be hurtful. The tremendous strain +under which they had been, while compiling their twenty-seven +consecutive wins, had brought them to a point where a sudden blow like +this might make them go to pieces. + +As a matter of fact, that is just what did happen to them that very +afternoon. The whole team was depressed and had a case of nerves. They +played like a lot of schoolboys, booting the ball, slipping up on easy +grounders and muffing flies that ordinarily they could have caught with +ease. + +The Pittsburghs, on the other hand, played with redoubled skill and +courage. Their hopes had been revived by the misfortune that had +befallen their most dangerous opponent. Joe was personally popular with +all the players of the League, and they were sorry that he was hurt. +But that did not prevent them from taking advantage of the chance to +make hay while the sun shone. + +The game developed into a farce after the third inning, and from that +time on it was only a question of the size of the score. When the game +ended, the Giant outfielders were leg-weary from chasing hits, and the +visitors were equally tired from running bases. The Pittsburghs won by +a score of 17 to 3, and the Giants' winning streak came to an end. + +But for once the team escaped a roasting from McRae. The team had done +wonderful work, and any nine that wins twenty-seven games in succession +has a right to lose the twenty-eighth. Besides the break was due, and +the manager hoped that with this one bad game out of their systems the +team would pull itself together and start another rally. + +For the next week or two, the race see-sawed between the two leading +teams. By this time it had become generally recognized that the pennant +lay between them. The other contestants had occasional spurts, when +great playing for a short period would revive the waning hopes of their +admirers, but they soon fell back again in the ruck. It was quite +certain that the flag would fly either over Forbes Field or over the +Polo Grounds. + +In the meantime, Joe's hand was mending rapidly. His superb physical +condition helped him greatly, and the doctor was visibly surprised and +gratified by the progress of his patient. But it was hard work for Joe +to be laid off just at the time that his team needed him most. Still he +believed in the proverb "the more haste the less speed," and he tried +to be patient, even while he was "chafing at the bit." + +About ten days after the accident, the doctor delighted him by telling +him that he need not come to see him any more. But he still ordered +him to refrain from pitching. As to batting, he said cautiously that +Joe could try that out a little at a time. If he found that after easy +batting practice his hand did not hurt him, he might be permitted to +bat in an actual game. + +Joe was quick to avail himself of the permission. Very cautiously he +tried batting out fungo hits. While at first the hand felt a little +sore and stiff, this soon passed off. Then Joe had Jim pitch him some +easy ones in practice, and found that he could line them out without +ill effects. Finally he let Jim put them over at full speed, and was +delighted to find that he could lift them into the right field stands +and not suffer much of a twinge. At last he was himself again, as far +at least as batting was concerned. + +His recovery came just in time to be of immense benefit to the team. +The men had slumped considerably in batting, though they still held up +to their usual form in fielding. But fielding alone cannot win games. +Defensive work is all very well, but combined with it must be the +offensive work on the part of the batsmen. The best fielding in the +world cannot put runs over the plate. + +Joe's return put new spirit into the team at once. The batting picked +up noticeably, with Joe leading the way. At first he was a little +cautious about putting his whole strength into his blow, and for a few +days when he was used in emergencies as a pinch hitter, he gathered a +crop of singles with an occasional double and triple. But with every +successive day he let out a new link, and at length he put his whole +strength into his swing. Home runs became again a common feature, and +the Giants started in joyously on a new upward climb. + +The season was to end this year in the West, and by the time the Giants +started on their last swing around the circuit, they had a lead of four +games over the Pirates. It was not necessarily a winning lead, but it +was very comforting just the same to have those four games as a margin. +Still, the Pittsburghs were hanging on gamely, ready to forge to the +front on the least sign of weakening shown by their competitors. It +was one of the hottest races that had ever been seen in the National +League, and there was a chance that it would not be decided until the +last day of the season. + +"The last lap," remarked Jim, as the team started on its trip. "Here's +where we win or lose." + +"Here's where we win," corrected Joe. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE TIRELESS FOE + + +The Giants opened at Chicago, and the results were none too good. +The Cubs, who just then were in the midst of a spurt, clawed and bit +their way to victory in two games of the four, and the Giants were +lucky to break even. As it was, the two games they won were annexed +by the terrific batting of Joe, who was hitting like a demon. In the +four games he made three home runs, and two of them were lined out +when there were men on bases. All pitchers looked alike to him, and he +played no favorites. The rest he had had from pitching had made him all +the more effective as a batsman. + +His fame as a hitter had spread through all the cities of the League, +and the Chicago grounds were filled to their capacity during the +Giants' visit. Most of the spectators were as eager to see him hit one +of his mammoth homers as they were to see the home team win. Cheers +greeted him every time he came to the bat. He was the greatest drawing +card that the Giants had or ever had had. + +Opinion was divided as to whether he or Kid Rose of the Yankees was +the greatest hitter. Each had his partisans. Rose had been longer +in the limelight, and those who had made up their minds that he was +the greatest hitter that ever lived were reluctant to see their idol +replaced by a newcomer. Many confidently predicted that Joe would +not last, that his work was only a flash in the pan. Others declared +that he did not have to bat against as good pitching in the National +League as was shown in the American, and that therefore Rose's work was +superior. But as Joe kept on, day in and day out, lacing out tremendous +hits that landed in the bleachers and at times sailed over the fence, +the doubters grew silent, or joined in the wild applause as Joe jogged +around the bases and crossed the plate standing up. + +The keenest interest was manifested in the race that the Yankees were +making to land the flag in the American League. If they should come out +on top, the World Series would be held between New York teams, and Rose +and Joe could be seen in action against each other. That would help to +settle the question as to which had a right to wear the batting crown +of the world. It would be a battle of giants, and it was certain that, +if such a contest took place, there would be delegations to see it +from all parts of the country. + +McRae was no longer content to use Joe simply as a pinch hitter. He +wanted to take full advantage of his marvelous hitting, and so he +put him in the regular line-up and played him every day. Wheeler was +relegated to the bench and Joe took his place in the field. The manager +also changed his batting order, putting Joe fourth in the cleanup +position. And again and again his judgment was vindicated by the way +Joe cleaned up with homers, sending his comrades in ahead of him. + +The day the third Chicago game was played was a very hot one, and Joe +and Jim were tired and warm. Jim had pitched that day and won, after a +gruelling contest, and Joe had varied his ordinary routine by knocking +out two home runs instead of one. + +Joe was seated in his hotel room, writing a letter to Mabel. Jim had +stepped down to the office to get some stationery, for he had the +pleasant task on hand of writing to Clara. + +A knock came at the door, and in answer to his call to enter, a bellboy +stepped into the room, bearing a pitcher and glasses. + +"Here's the lemonade you ordered, boss," he said, as he put his burden +on a convenient stand. + +"Lemonade?" repeated Joe in some surprise. "I didn't order any." + +"Clerk sent me up with it, sir," said the bellboy respectfully. "Said +it was for Mr. Matson, room four-seventeen. This is four-seventeen, +isn't it?" he asked as he glanced at the number on the door, which he +had left open. + +"This is four-seventeen, all right, and I'm Mr. Matson," Joe answered. +"But I didn't order anything. I'll tell you how it is though," he +added, as a thought struck him. "My friend who is sharing the room with +me has just gone down to the lobby, and he's probably told the clerk to +send it up. That's all right. Leave it there." + +"Shall I pour you out a glass, sir?" asked the boy, suiting the action +to the word. + +"If you like," responded Joe carelessly, taking a quarter out of his +pocket as a tip. + +The boy thanked him and withdrew, closing the door behind him. Joe +finished the paragraph he was writing, and then picked up the glass. He +took a sip of it and put it down. + +"Pretty bitter," he said to himself. "Not enough sugar. Still it's +cooling, and I sure am warm." + +Again he lifted the glass to his lips, but just then Jim burst into the +room. + +"Whom do you think I saw just now?" he demanded. + +"Give it up," replied Joe. "But whoever it was, you seem to be all +excited about it. Who was it?" + +"Fleming!" answered Jim, as he plumped down into a chair. + +"Fleming!" repeated Joe with quickened interest. "What's that fellow +doing here? I thought he hung out in New York." + +"That's what I want to know," replied Jim. "Wherever that fellow is, +there's apt to be dirty work brewing. And the frightened look that came +into his eyes when he saw me, and the way he hurried past me, made me +uneasy. He acted as if he'd been up to something. I don't like the idea +of a pal of Braxton being in the same hotel with us." + +"I don't care much for it myself," answered Joe. "Still, a hotel is +open to anybody, and this is one of the most popular ones in the city. +It isn't especially surprising that you should happen to run across +him." + +"Not surprising perhaps, but unpleasant just the same," responded Jim. +"It leaves a bad taste in my mouth." + +"Well," laughed Joe, "take the bad taste out with a glass of this +lemonade you sent up. It isn't very good--it has a bad taste of its +own--but it will cool you off." + +He raised his glass to his mouth as he spoke. But in an instant Jim was +on his feet and knocked the glass from his hand. It fell on the floor +and splintered in many pieces. + +Joe looked at him in open-eyed amazement, too astonished to speak. + +"Don't touch the stuff!" cried Jim. "What do you mean by saying I sent +it up?" + +"Didn't you?" asked Joe. "The bellboy said he had been told to bring it +to me, and as I hadn't ordered it, I jumped to the conclusion that you +had." + +"Not I!" replied Jim. "But I can guess who did!" + +"Who?" + +"Fleming." + +The two friends looked fixedly at each other. + +"Do you mean," asked Joe, after a moment in which surprise and +indignation struggled for the mastery, "that that lemonade was doped?" + +"Doped or poisoned, I'll bet my life," affirmed Jim. "Let's get to +the bottom of this thing. Quick, old man! Perhaps Fleming is still +somewhere in the hotel." + +"Not a chance," replied Joe, jumping to his feet. "If he's mixed up in +this, he's getting away as fast as his legs or a car can carry him. But +we'll go down and see what we can learn from the clerk." + +They went to the head clerk, whom they knew very well. He was an ardent +fan, and his face lighted up as he saw the friends approaching. + +"Saw you play to-day, gentlemen," he said. "Those two home runs of +yours were whales, Mr. Matson. And your pitching, Mr. Barclay, was all +to the mustard." + +"Sorry to beat your Chicago boys, but we needed that game in our +business," laughed Joe. "But what I want to see you about just now is a +personal matter. Did you get an order from me or from my room to send +up any lemonade?" + +The clerk looked surprised. + +"No," he replied. "I didn't get any such request. Wait a moment until I +see the telephone operator." + +He consulted the girl at the telephone, and was back in a moment. "No +message of any kind came from your room to-night," he announced. + +"But one of your bellboys brought it up," persisted Joe. + +"Which one of them was it?" asked the clerk, pointing to a group of +them lounging about. + +"None of them," responded Joe, as he ran his eye over them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +CHAMPIONS OF THE LEAGUE + + +"There are three more of the bellboys doing various errands about the +hotel," replied the clerk. "If you gentlemen will wait around they'll +be back in a few minutes." + +"All right, we'll wait," said Joe. + +Before long, all the bellboys were back, and Joe had had a good look at +the entire staff. Not one resembled the boy who had come to his room. + +"I can't understand it," mused the clerk, to whom the boys had been +careful not to impart their suspicions. "It must have been sent in by +somebody from the outside. It's certain that it wasn't sent up from +here." + +"Oh, well," said Joe carelessly, "it doesn't matter. I just wanted +to find out, so that I could thank the one who did it. Sorry to have +troubled you." + +They strolled off indifferently and returned to their room. + +"'Thank' is good," said Jim, as soon as they were out of earshot. + +"I'll thank him all right," replied Joe grimly. "In fact I'll thank him +so warmly that it will stagger him." + +"May I be there to see!" replied Jim gruffly. "I can figure out the +whole thing now. Fleming had had that lemonade doped and it was meant +to put you out of business. It was easy to find out what hotel you were +stopping at, as that's been in all the papers. Then it was a simple +thing to glance over the register and get the number of your room. He's +either got a bellboy from some other hotel or dressed up somebody in +a bellboy's uniform. He's probably bribed him well, and it's been all +the easier because he didn't have to let on to the boy that there was +anything crooked about it. Told him perhaps that he was just playing +a little joke on a friend or something like that. There's the whole +story." + +"I guess that's about right," agreed Joe. "Gee, Jim, it's mighty lucky +that you knocked that glass out of my hand. I had noticed that it +tasted rather bitter, but put that down to too little sugar." + +"Let's send some of the stuff to a chemist and have it analyzed," +suggested Jim. + +"No," objected Joe, "that wouldn't do any good. The thing would be apt +to get into the papers, and that's the very thing we mustn't let happen +for the sake of the folks at home. We know enough about the stuff to +be sure that it was doctored in some way. Everything about the incident +tells of crookedness. Fleming was probably the master hand, although he +may have simply been the tool of Braxton. Those fellows are running up +a heavy account, and some day I hope we'll get the goods on them. We'll +just dump the stuff out so that nobody else will be injured. Then we'll +lay low but keep our eyes open. It's all that we can do." + +"Gee, that was one dandy homer, Joe," said the catcher some time later. + +"Best ever," added the first baseman. + +"Oh, I don't know," answered the young ball player modestly. "I think +I have done better. But it was great to carry it along to eleven +innings," he added, with a smile. + +"That tenth had me almost going," said the shortstop. "We came close to +spilling the beans," and he shook his head seriously. + +"Well, 'all's well that ends well,' as Socrates said to General Grant," +and Joe grinned. + +From Chicago the Giants jumped to St. Louis, where, despite the +stiffest kind of resistance, they took three games out of four. They +were not quite as successful in Cincinnati, where the best they could +get was an even break. The Reds saw a chance to come in third, in which +case they would have a share in the World Series money, and they were +showing the best ball that they had played all season. The Giants had +all they could do to nose them out in the last game, which went to +eleven innings and was only won by a home run by Joe in the wind-up. + +Seven games out of twelve for a team on the road was not bad, but it +would have been worse if the Pirates, in the meantime, had not also had +a rocky road to travel. The Brooklyns had helped their friends across +the bridge by taking the Pittsburghs into camp to the tune of three +games out of four and the Bostons had broken even. With the Phillies, +however, the Pirates had made a clean sweep of the four games. So when +the Giants faced their most formidable foes, they still had the lead of +four games with which they had begun their Western trip. + +This, of course, gave the Giants the edge on their rivals. The +Pittsburghs would have to win the whole four games to draw up on even +terms with the leaders. In that case a deciding game would be necessary +to break the tie. On the other hand all the Giants had to do was to win +one game of the four and they would have the championship cinched. And +that they would do at least that seemed almost a certainty. + +But nothing is certain in baseball, as soon became evident. Perhaps +it was overconfidence or a sense of already being on easy street that +caused the Giants to lose the first game. That, however, could not be +said of the second, when the Giants "played their heads off," Jim said, +and yet could not win against the classy pitching and stonewall defense +put up by the Smoky City team. Things were beginning to look serious +for the Giants, and some of their confidence was vanishing. + +Still more serious did they become when the third game went into the +Pirates' basket. Jim pitched in that game and twirled wonderful ball, +but his support was ragged, and several Pirate blows that ought to have +been outs were registered ultimately as runs. They were unearned runs, +but they counted in the final score as much as though they had been due +to the team's hitting. The Giants were long-faced and gloomy. + +McRae was clearly worried. If the next game were lost, the leaders +would be tied, and the Pirates would still have a chance to win. It +would be a bitter pill to swallow if the Giants lost the flag just when +it had seemed that all was over except the shouting. + +Moreover, the manager was in a quandary. All his first string pitchers +had been beaten. His best one in active service at the present time, +Jim, had pitched that day and it would not do to ask him to go into the +box again to-morrow. In his desperation he turned to Joe. + +"Joe," he said, "we're up against it unless you can help us out. How +is your hand feeling? Would you dare to take a chance with it?" + +"I think it's all right now, or nearly so," replied Joe. "I've been +trying it out in practice right along, and it seems to me it's about as +good as ever. I was putting them over to Mylert yesterday, and he told +me he couldn't see any difference between them and those I threw before +I was hurt. The only thing I'm a little skittish about is my fadeaway. +That gives me a little twinge when I try it. But I guess I can leave +that out and still pull through." + +"That's good!" ejaculated McRae, with great relief. "Go in then, old +boy, and show these pesky Pirates where they get off. We simply must +win this game." + +There was a startled murmur among the spectators who thronged Forbes +Field that afternoon when they saw Joe go into the box. They had been +gloating over the supposition that McRae would have to use again one of +the pitchers whom the Pirates had already beaten in that series, and +the way their pets were going, they looked for a sure victory. Now they +saw the man who had always baffled the Pittsburghs again take up the +pitcher's burden, and their faces took on a look of apprehension. + +The Pirate players too shared in that apprehension. They had a profound +respect for Joe's ability, and had always had a sinking of the heart +when they saw him draw on his glove. Still, they comforted themselves +with the hope that his long layoff had hurt his effectiveness, and they +braced to give him the battle of his life. + +Joe himself felt a thrill of exultation when he stepped on the mound. +That was his throne. There he had won the laurels that crowned him as +the greatest pitcher of his League. Now he was back again, back to +buoy up the spirit of his team, back to justify the confidence of his +manager, back to uphold his fame, back to bring the championship of the +National League once more to New York. + +He still carried in his pocket Mabel's glove, that he had come to +regard as his mascot. He touched it now. Then he wound up for the first +pitch and split the plate for a strike. + +It was an auspicious beginning of one of the greatest games he had ever +pitched in his whole career. The Pirates simply did not have a chance. +All through the game they were swinging wildly at a ball that seemed to +be bewitched, a ball that dodged their bats and appeared to be laughing +at them. Angered and bewildered, they tried every device to avoid +impending defeat. They bunted, they put in pinch hitters, they called +the umpire's attention to Joe's delivery in the hope of rattling him, +they tried to get hit with the ball. + +Through it all, Joe kept on smiling and mowing them down. Only three +men got to first. Not one got to second. Thirteen men went out on +strikes. And then, to cap the climax, Joe sent a screaming homer into +the right field bleachers, sending in two men ahead of him. + +The final score was 8 to 0. The Giants had won the championship of the +National League. Now they were to battle for the championship of the +world! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE WORLD SERIES + + +It was a happy team of Giants that left Pittsburgh that night on the +sleeper for New York. The season's strain was over. The coveted flag +was theirs. They had fought their way through many discouragements, had +stood the gaff, and now they were at the top of their League, with none +to contest their title as champions. + +"Some victory, eh, Joe?" remarked Jim to his chum. + +"Right, Jim," was the ready reply. + +To be sure a great battle loomed up ahead of them, but they welcomed +that with eagerness. It meant thousands of dollars to every member of +the team, win or lose. But they had no thought of losing. The return of +their king pitcher to the box that afternoon, and the proof that he was +in magnificent form, had filled them chock full of confidence. + +And they were doubly glad that the Yankees were to be their opponents. +That had been settled three days before, when the American League +season had closed with the Yankees just nosing out the Clevelands at +the finish. It was settled that every game of the World Series would be +played in New York. + +This meant that there would be no long, tiresome, overnight journeys +between cities. But it meant more than that. It meant that the question +would now be settled once for all as to which of the New York teams was +the better. + +This had been a mooted question for a good many years past. Each team +had its warm friends and admirers, who were ready to back it through +thick and thin. The Giants, of course, had been established longer, and +had gained a strong place in the affections of the metropolis. Their +games, as a usual thing, drew many more spectators than those played by +their rivals. But of late the acquisition of Kid Rose by the Yankees +had drawn the greater attention to that team, and the Giants had been +cast in the shade. They were not used to this and did not relish it. +They knew the Yankees were a strong team, but at the same time they +believed that they could take their measure if it ever came to a +showdown. Now that showdown was at hand, and the Giants were glad of it. + +The public, too, were eager to have the question of supremacy settled. +The metropolis was fairly seething with excitement over the series, and +the hotels already were filling up with visitors from as far off as +the Pacific Coast. Not only columns but whole pages of the newspapers +were filled with comments and prophecies respecting the chances of the +respective teams. + +More than anything else in the public mind was the coming duel between +Kid Rose and Joe Matson as home run hitters. Which would make the +longer hits? Which would make the more home runs? These were the +questions that were on the lips of the fans wherever two or more of +them met. And the sporting pages of the daily newspapers were full of +it. + +The series this year was to consist of nine games if so many should be +necessary. The team that first won five games would be the champions of +the world. The members of the teams were to share in the money taken in +at the first five games played, so that there would be no inducement to +spin out the series. After certain percentages had been deducted sixty +per cent was to go to the winners and forty per cent to the losers. The +outlook was that each member of the winning team would get about five +thousand dollars and each member of the losing team between three and +four thousand, a difference great enough to make each player do his +best, apart from his loyalty to his team. + +Reggie had come up from Goldsboro, bringing Mabel with him, a +charge of which Joe promptly relieved him. She seemed to Joe more +distractingly beautiful than ever, and his heart thumped as he realized +that in less than a month she would be his own. That had been arranged +in their correspondence. The wedding would take place in Mabel's home +in Goldsboro, and after their honeymoon they were to go to Riverside, +to witness the marriage of Jim and Clara. The latter had hoped to come +on to see the World Series, but Mrs. Matson was not well enough to come +along, and Clara did not want to leave her. So poor Jim had to exercise +patience and not be too envious of the almost delirious happiness of +Joe and Mabel at being together. + +A more exciting World Series than that which now began between the +Giants and Yankees had never been known in the history of the game. +Both teams were out for blood. Every man was on his toes, and the +excited spectators were roused almost to madness by the almost +miraculous stops and throws pulled off by the fielders. From the start +it was evident that the nines were very evenly balanced, and that +whichever finally won would in all probability do so by the narrowest +kind of margin. + +Victory seesawed between the teams. Joe pitched the first game, and the +Giants won by 3 to 1. The Yankees took the second by 5 to 2. Jim held +them down in the third to two runs, while the Giants accumulated six. +The Yankees made it "fifty-fifty" by galloping away with the fourth +game in a free hitting contest, of which Markwith was the victim, the +final score being 9 to 5. The Giants again assumed the lead by copping +the fifth by 4 to 0, Joe decorating his opponents with a necklace of +goose eggs. They repeated on the following day, and with only one more +game needed to make the five, it looked as though they would be certain +winners. But the Yankees were not yet through, and they came back +strong on the two succeeding days and evened up the score. Each had won +four games. The ninth and final game would determine which team was to +be the champions of the world. + +In these contests, Joe had batted like a fiend. McRae had played him +in every game, putting him in the outfield on the days that he was +not scheduled to pitch. In the eight games, Joe had made six circuit +clouts, in addition to four three-baggers, three two-base hits, and +some singles. He was simply killing the ball. + +Kid Rose also had done sterling work, and had rapped out five homers, +besides a number of hits for a lesser number of bags. But Baseball Joe +so far had outclassed him, both in the number and the length of his +hits. There was no stopping him. High or low, incurve or outcurve, they +were all the same to him. That eagle eye of his located the course of +the ball unerringly, and when the ash connected with the ball that ball +was slated for a ride. + +There was no mistake about it. Joe had arrived. The batting crown was +his. He had long since been recognized as the king of pitchers. Now he +was hailed by acclamation as the greatest hitter in the game! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE GAME OF HIS LIFE + + +For the ninth and deciding game, McRae had selected Joe to pitch. + +"I don't need to tell you, Joe, how much depends on this game," McRae +said soberly, as the two came out of the clubhouse and walked across +the field towards the grandstand, which was crowded to suffocation. +"You know it as well as I do. I'm just counting on you, my boy. You've +never failed me yet in a pinch. You won't fail me now." + +"Trust me, Mac," replied Joe. "I'll do my best to win out." + +Hudson, the manager of the Yankees, was also pinning his faith on +the leader of his pitching staff, Phil Hays. He was a master of the +underhand delivery, and had already captured for the Yankees the two +games of the series in which he had pitched. In both games he had +sorely puzzled the Giants, for there was no pitcher in the National +League who used that delivery, and they had found it almost impossible +to gauge it. He also had a crossfire, that he used at times with +telling effect. He had not yet matched his pitching strength against +Joe's, and the crowd was all agog with curiosity to see them battle +against each other. + +Jim had been a little later than Joe in slipping into his uniform, and +was still in the clubhouse, after his friend had gone out on the field, +when Reggie came rushing in, panting and out of breath. + +"Where's Joe?" he asked, looking wildly around. + +"He's just gone out to practice," answered Jim. "Why, what's the +matter, Reggie?" + +"I've got to get Joe," Reggie panted, making a dash for the door. + +But Jim caught his arm. + +"Look here, Reggie," he said, holding to him tightly. "Joe mustn't be +upset. I can see that something's happened. Tell me what it is, and +I'll see about letting Joe know." + +"It's M-Mabel!" answered Reggie, stammering in his excitement. "She's +disappeared." + +"Disappeared!" echoed Jim, in bewilderment. "What do you mean?" + +"Just that," answered Reggie. "She went out this morning to call on +a friend, but said she'd get back to go with me to the game. I got +anxious when she didn't come, and called up her friend, who said she +hadn't seen her. Just then a messenger boy brought me this," and he +handed over a typewritten, unsigned note, which read: + + "Miss Varley is in safe hands. If Matson loses his game to-day + she will be returned this evening. If he doesn't, it will cost + $25,000 to get her back. Personal in papers to-morrow, signed + T. Z., will give exact directions for carrying on further + negotiations." + +"Now you see why I've got to see Joe right away," said Reggie in +frenzied impatience, snatching the note from Jim's hands. + +"You mustn't!" ejaculated Jim, barring the way. "Don't you see that +that's just what the rascals want you to do? You'd just be playing +their game. They want to get Joe so frightened and upset that he can't +pitch. It's the scheme of some gamblers who have bet on the Yanks to +win. They want to make sure that they will win, and so they want to +bribe or frighten Joe into losing. But probably if he did, they'd +demand the ransom money just the same. We'll have to keep it from Joe +until the game is over. Nothing will be lost by that. I'll give McRae a +tip and he'll let me off. Then you and I will get busy and do all that +we can for the next two hours. If we turn nothing up, we'll be back +here when the game ends and tell Joe all about it. Wait here a minute +till I see McRae, and then we'll get on the job." + +In five minutes he was back with the required permission, and as soon +as he had got into his street clothes he hailed a taxicab, and he and +Reggie jumped in and were off. + +When the bell rang for the game to begin, the Giants took the field, +and Milton, the big center-fielder of the Yankees, came to the plate. +Joe wound a high fast one about his neck, at which he refused to bite. +The next one split the rubber, and Milton swung savagely at it and +missed. The next was a called strike. On the following ball, he rolled +an easy grounder to Burkett at first, who made the put out unassisted. +The next man, Pender, Joe put out on strikes in jig time. Then the +mighty Kid Rose strode to the bat. + +He grinned at Joe and Joe grinned back. They were both good fellows, +and each thoroughly respected the other. There was no bitterness in +their rivalry. + +"Now little ball, come to papa!" sang out Rose. + +"Here he comes!" laughed Joe. "Take a look at baby." + +The ball whizzed over the plate, and Rose missed it by an inch. The +next he fouled off, as he did the following one. Then Joe tried a +fadeaway, and Rose fell for it, swinging himself halfway round with the +force of his blow. + +"You're out!" cried the umpire, and the Giant supporters in the stands +broke out in cheers. It was not often that Rose struck out, and the +feat was appreciated. + +In the Giants' half, Hays set them down in one, two, three order. Curry +flied to Russell in right, Iredell went out by the strike route, while +Burkett's grounder to Pender at short was whipped smartly down to first. + +The Yankees were easy victims in the second. Russell fanned, Walsh +lifted a twisting foul, on which Mylert made a superb catch close to +the Giants' dugout and Mullen hit a grounder between first and the box, +which Joe captured and fielded to Burkett in plenty of time. + +Joe was first up in the Giants' half, and had to doff his cap in +response to the cheers which greeted him as he came to the plate. + +Hays sized him up carefully and did not like his looks. The first ball +he threw him was so wide that Banks, the catcher, had to reach far out +to nab it with one hand. + +That might have been lack of control on Hays' part, but when a second +followed, that came nowhere in the range of Joe's bat, the crowd jumped +to the conclusion that he was deliberately trying to pass him, and a +storm of protests rained down on the diamond. + +"You're a game sport--not!" + +"Let Baseball Joe hit the ball!" + +"Yellow streak!" + +"Matson took a chance with Rose. Why don't you take a chance with +Matson?" + +"Where's your sand?" + +Whether Hays was stung by these jibes or not, the next ball curved +over the plate and just above the knee. There was a ringing crack, and +the ball sailed aloft in the direction of the bleachers with home run +written all over it. There was no need of hurrying, and Joe simply +trotted around the bases, while pandemonium reigned in the stands and +bleachers. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD + + +Wheeler went out on a fly to Milton, Willis fanned, and Larry closed +the inning with a pop up to second. But the Giants had scored first +blood, and in such a close game as this promised to be, that run stood +out like a lighthouse. + +In the third, McCarthy fell victim to Joe's curves and went out on +strikes. Banks was lucky and got to first on a grasser to Iredell that +took a wicked bound just as the shortstop was all set to receive it and +jumped into left. He was nipped a minute later, when Joe saw out of the +corner of his eye that he was taking too long a lead off first and made +a lightning throw to Burkett. Hays, after fouling off two, struck out +on a mean drop, and the inning ended without damage. + +Hays put one over for Denton that the latter pickeled for a dandy +grasser between third and short. Rose at left was slow in retrieving +the ball, and Denton by fleet running and a hook slide reached the +middle station. Here, however, he was caught napping. Then Hays braced +and set the next two players down on strikes. It was a deft exhibition +of "getting out of a hole," and deserved the generous applause that it +received. + +In the Yankees' half of the fourth, Milton sent one to Willis at third +that the latter stopped neatly but threw to first too wide, the ball +almost missing Burkett's fingers as he reached for it. Pender knocked +a grounder to Larry, but the latter hesitated a moment as to whether +to make the play at first or second, and when he finally chose second, +Milton had reached that bag, and both men were safe. Then Rose came to +the bat, with the Yankee partisans shouting wildly for a homer. + +Joe fooled him twice, but Rose caught the third one and poled a hit +to right. Wheeler and Denton both raced for it, and the latter by a +herculean effort just managed to get under it. In the meantime, Milton +had started forward, and Pender too was on his way. Quick as a flash, +Denton straightened up and sent the ball on a line to first. Pender had +turned and was running back, but was an easy out. Burkett shot the ball +to Larry, putting out Milton, who was scrambling back to second. It was +a superb triple play and the crowd went crazy. + +Iredell started the Giants' fourth with a liner to McCarthy, that +settled comfortably in the third baseman's glove. Burkett lammed a +single into right. Joe walloped a shrieking three-bagger between right +and center, that brought Burkett galloping to the plate for the second +run of the game. Wheeler was ordered to sacrifice, but his attempted +bunt resulted in a little fly to Hays, and Joe was held on third. Hays +turned on steam and struck Willis out. + +The fifth inning passed without scoring by either side. Both Joe and +Hays were pitching magnificent ball, and the crowds cheered each in +turn lustily. + +The first real hit that Joe yielded came in the sixth, when after +McCarthy had struck out, Banks lined a beauty into right between first +and second. It did no harm, however, for Joe tightened up immediately +and made Hays and Milton hit at empty air. + +The Giants in their half went the Yankees one better in the matter of +hits, and yet could not score. Curry sent a twister over second that +Mullen could not get under. Iredell followed with a slow roller down +the third base line, that McCarthy could not reach in time to field. A +moment later, however, Curry was caught napping at second, and Burkett +hit into a snappy double play, retiring the side. + +In the seventh, the Yankees broke the ice. Pender got a life, when his +high fly to third was muffed by Willis. Kid Rose came to the bat. + +"Put it over, Joe, and see me lose it," he called. "I was robbed last +time." + +"That's nothing, Kid," chaffed Joe. "You'll be killed this time." + +The first ball, which completely baffled the most dangerous slugger of +the American League, seemed to bear out this prediction. On the second, +however, Rose sent a neat hit to right that was good for two bases and +brought Pender over the plate, amid the thunderous roars of the Yankee +supporters. Russell tapped a little one in front of the plate, that Joe +got in time to put him out at first, but not to head Rose off at third. +Walsh went out on strikes. Mullen rolled one to Burkett, and Joe ran +over to cover the bag, but Burkett's throw hit the dirt and Rose came +over the plate, tying the score. McCarthy fanned, and the inning was +over. One hit, sandwiched in with errors, had knocked the Giants' lead +into a cocked hat and tied up the game. + +Not for long, however. Joe was the first man up, and came to the plate +with blood in his eye. The first two offerings he let go by. The third +was to his liking. There was an explosion like the crack of a gun and +the ball started on its journey. + +That journey was destined to be talked about for years to come. It was +the longest hit that ever had been made on the Polo Grounds. On it +went over right field, over the bleachers and over the fence, clearing +it at a height of fifty feet. + +In the wild roar that went up as Joe loped around the bases, even +the Yankee supporters joined. It was an occasion that rose above +partisanship, an outstanding event in the history of sport. The +spectators cheered until they were hoarse, and it was a minute or two +before play could be resumed. + +The rest of the inning was short and sweet. Wheeler, Willis and Larry +went out in order, the first two on strikes and the latter on a +grounder fielded by Mullen. + +The eighth was on the same snappy order. Joe was determined to maintain +his advantage, and was invincible. Banks grounded to the box, and Joe +tossed him out. Hays fanned for the second time and Milton followed +suit. + +Hays, too, was going strong, and the Giant batsmen went down before +him like a row of tenpins. Denton made three futile attempts and threw +down his bat in disgust. Mylert cut three successive swaths in the +atmosphere and went back to the bench, while Curry fouled out to Banks. + +In the ninth, the Yankees again sewed it up. Pender got to first, when +Larry was slow in fielding his grounder. The mighty Rose came up amid +frantic cheering. But Joe summoned all his cunning, and for the second +time that day struck him out, while the crowd cheered his sportsmanship +in not passing him to first. Russell popped up an infield fly that +Willis and Iredell ran for but collided, the ball dropping between +them. In the scramble that ensued, Pender reached third and Russell +made second. Iredell was still a little shaken by the collision, and +fumbled the easy grounder of Walsh that ought to have resulted in an +out at the plate, Walsh reaching first in safety. In consequence Pender +scored, and again the game was tied at 3 to 3. A single now would have +brought in another run, but Joe by a quick throw caught Walsh asleep at +first and struck out Mullen, thus ending the inning. + +With the frenzied adjurations of McRae and Robbie in their ears, the +Giants came to the bat for the last half of the ninth. Iredell made +a mighty effort, but came back to the bench after three fruitless +swings at Hays' benders. Burkett sent up a towering skyscraper that was +gathered in after a long run by Milton in center. + +On Joe now rested the Giants' hopes. Twice that day he had poled out +homers, and once he had ripped out a three-bagger. Could he repeat? + +Hays was determined that he shouldn't have a chance. Amid the jeers +and taunts of the crowd, he deliberately sent three balls wide of the +plate. In attempting to do the same with the fourth, however, he sent +it a trifle too close. Joe caught it on the end of his bat. + +How that ball traveled! Almost on a line it whistled through the air +in the direction of the right field bleachers. On and on went that +terrific, screeching liner straight into the crowd in the bleachers who +scrambled frantically to get out of its path. + +Round the bases went Joe, amid shouts and yells that were deafening. +Down on the home plate he came with both feet. The game was won, the +series was over and the Giants were the champions of the world! + +Like a deer Joe made for the clubhouse, to escape the crowds that came +swarming over the field. He reached it just as a man was being carried +inside. + +"What's the matter?" he asked. "Any one hurt?" + +"Only a glancing blow," remarked the club doctor, who had been looking +the man over. "He's dazed, but he'll come to his senses soon." + +Joe bent over to look at him and started back in surprise. + +"Why, I know that man!" he exclaimed. "His name's Fleming!" + +"It's Fleming all right," said Jim's voice beside him. "And he's got +just what was coming to him." + +Joe looked up and saw Jim and Reggie. They were grave and worried, and +Joe's sixth sense told him that something was wrong. + +"What's happened?" he asked in alarm. "And where is Mabel? What kept +her from the game? Don't stand there dumb! Tell me, quick!" + +"Now, Joe----" began Jim soothingly, but was interrupted by the injured +man who opened his eyes, looked wildly around and struggled to a +sitting posture. His eyes dilated with fright when he saw Joe and Jim. + +"I didn't do it!" he half screamed. "I didn't kidnap her! It was +Braxton. He----" + +Jim interposed. + +"Clear a space here," he commanded. "This is a private matter for Joe +and me. Now, Fleming," he went on in short, menacing words that cut +like a knife, "tell me this instant where Miss Varley is. You know. +Tell me. Quick! Don't lie, or I'll tear your tongue out by the roots." + +Before the blazing fury in his eyes Fleming quailed. + +"She's at Inwood," he muttered. "She's safe enough. She's----" + +"Reggie," commanded Jim, "jump into the car and take the wheel. Joe, +help me to get this man into the car. Don't talk. I'll explain as we go +along. Doyle," he continued, turning to a police lieutenant who was a +warm admirer of the boys and who happened to be standing near, "come +along with us if you don't mind. It may be a case for you." + +"Sure thing," replied Doyle. "I'm with you." + +They half dragged, half carried, Fleming to the car, and Reggie put on +speed. The lieutenant sat in front with him, and his uniform prevented +any question on the part of the traffic policemen. Fleming, pale and +apprehensive, was thrust into a corner of the tonneau, while Jim +explained the situation to Joe, who was boiling with rage. + +The headlong speed at which Reggie drove soon brought them to the +vicinity of Inwood, and following the faltering directions of Fleming, +they drew up before a little house that was a block away from any of +its neighbors. + +They tiptoed up the steps, Joe having his hand so tightly on Fleming's +collar that his knuckles ground into his neck. + +"You know what you've got to do, Fleming," he whispered. "If you don't +do it----" + +His grip tightened and his fist clenched. + +Trembling, Fleming opened the front door with his latchkey, and the +party went softly through the hall. They stopped in front of a door +from behind which a man was heard talking. + +"I'm sorry to have to incommode you, Miss Varley," he was saying in +suave polished tones that the boys recognized at once as Braxton's. +"But unfortunately it is necessary to the success of my plans. You +can't complain that we haven't treated you with perfect respect outside +of the little violence we had to use to get you into the car." + +There was no reply, but the party could hear the sound of sobbing. + +"Knock," whispered Joe, emphasizing the command by a twist of Fleming's +collar. + +Fleming knocked. + +"Who's there?" came from within. + +"It's Fleming," was the weak answer. "Open up." + +The door opened and the party went in with a rush. + +There was a cry of joy from Mabel and a startled exclamation from +Braxton. He looked toward the door, but the burly policeman had closed +it and stood with his back against it. The next instant Joe had smashed +Braxton straight between the eyes and the rascal measured his length on +the floor. An instant more, and Mabel was in Joe's arms, sobbing her +heart out against his breast. + +For a few moments the reunited ones were dead to the world around them. +When at last they had come to their senses, Joe, with a final caress, +relinquished Mabel to Reggie's care. + +"You'd better go out to the car, dearest," he said to her. "I'll be +with you soon. I've got a little business to attend to here." + +The brother and sister went out, and Joe turned to the rest of the +party. Braxton had been yanked to his feet by Jim and jammed down hard +into a chair, where he sat glowering with rage and fear. Doyle stood +guard over Fleming, who presented a miserable picture of abjectness. + +"Shall I take them in charge, Mr. Matson?" asked the police lieutenant. +"You seem to have a clear case against them. They ought to get ten +years at least." + +The fear in the rascals' faces deepened. + +"No," answered Joe thoughtfully. "I don't want any scandal and I don't +believe I'll make a charge. At least, not yet. Jim, can you skirmish +around and find pen and ink?" + +In a minute or two Jim had found them. + +"Now, you contemptible skunks," began Joe, "listen to me. I'm going to +get a written confession from you of this whole business. Put down, +Jim, that matter of the anonymous letter. Don't try to lie out of it, +you scoundrel," he said, as Braxton started to protest. "Put down, too, +that hiring of the auto bandits to cripple me." Here Braxton gave a +violent start. "Put down that attempt to dope me in Chicago. That hits +you on the raw, doesn't it, Fleming?" he added, as the latter cringed +still lower in his seat. "We'll pass over the matter of hiring Bugs +Hartley to do me up in St. Louis, for he may have done that on his +own account. Now add this kidnaping incident and the record will be +complete." + +Jim wrote rapidly and soon had the document ready. + +"Now we'll ask these gentlemen to sign," said Joe, with exaggerated +politeness. + +"I won't sign," snarled Braxton, livid with rage. + +"Oh, you won't?" said Joe. "All right, Lieutenant----" + +"I'll sign," said Braxton hastily. + +Both he and Fleming signed, and Joe put the document carefully into his +pocket. + +"Now," he said, "I have you rascals on the hip. Dare to make one other +move against me as long as you live, and I'll have you clapped into +jail so quickly it will make your heads swim. I'll put you where the +dogs won't bite you." + +Both Braxton and Fleming rose to their feet. + +"Where are you going?" asked Joe, in apparent surprise. + +"You're through with us, aren't you?" growled Braxton. + +Joe laughed outright. + +"Oh, dear no," he said, as he rose to his feet. "There's just one +little thing to attend to yet. I'm going to thrash you within an inch +of your life." + +Braxton made a dash for the door, but Joe caught him a clip on the jaw +that sent him staggering back into a corner. + +"Now Jim," said Joe, "suppose you take that little rat out," pointing +to Fleming, "and drop him somewhere. He got his dose when the ball +knocked him out in the bleachers, and that perhaps will be enough for +him. Lieutenant," he went on, turning to Doyle, "you're a policeman, +and might feel called on to stop any scene of violence. I feel it in my +bones that there's going to be a little violence here--just a little. +Would you mind stepping outside and seeing whether the car is all +right?" + +"Sure," replied Doyle, with a grin and a wink. + +"Now, you cur," said Joe, as he turned to Braxton, "take off your coat. +It's a long account I have to settle with you, and I'm going to give +you the licking of your life." + +There was no way out, and Braxton took off his coat and closed in. He +was a big man and fought with the desperation of a cornered rat. He got +in one or two wild blows that did no damage. Joe smashed him right and +left, knocked him down and lifted him to his feet to knock him down +again, until Braxton, beaten to a finish, refused to get up, and lay in +a heap in a corner, fairly sobbing with rage and pain and shame. + +"Just one little bit of news, Braxton," said Joe, as he turned to +leave. "You've lost your bets. The Giants won!" + +He ran lightly down the steps and jumped into the car, where Mabel +snuggled up to him. + +"What kept you so long, Joe?" she asked anxiously. + +"Just settling an account, honey," he replied, as he drew her closer. +"It was a long one and took some time." + +"An account? What do you mean?" the girl asked, and then added +suddenly: "Oh, Joe, you are all--all mussed up!" + +"Am I, dear? Well, if I am you ought to see the other fellow, that's +all." + +"It was a--a fight?" she faltered. + +"Hardly that, Mabel. Braxton had it coming to him--and I gave it to him +with interest. But let us forget it. It's over now, and all I want to +think about is--you!" And he held her closer than ever. + + * * * * * + +A few weeks later the wedding march was played in Mabel's home, and she +and Joe joined hands for life. Clara was bridesmaid and Jim was best +man. Mr. and Mrs. Matson, the latter greatly improved in health, were +present. It was a glorious occasion, and all of them, the bride and +groom especially, were happy beyond words. + +"I'm quite a royal personage," said Mabel, as the happy pair, amid +a shower of rice, started off on their honeymoon. "To think of poor +little me marrying the king of pitchers and king of batters." + +"As Reggie would say, you're 'spoofing' me," he laughed. "At any rate, +I'm luckier than most kings. I've picked a perfect queen." And Baseball +Joe smiled broadly. + +And he had a right to smile, don't you think so? + + +THE END + + + + +THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES + +BY LESTER CHADWICK + + +_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid_ + +[Illustration] + + BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS + _or The Rivals of Riverside_ + +Joe is an everyday country boy who loves to play baseball and +particularly to pitch. + + + + BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE + _or Pitching for the Blue Banner_ + +Joe's great ambition was to go to boarding school and play on the +school team. + + + BASEBALL JOE AT YALE + _or Pitching for the College Championship_ + +Joe goes to Yale University. In his second year he becomes a varsity +pitcher and pitches in several big games. + + + BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE + _or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_ + +From Yale college to a baseball league of our Central States. + + + BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE + _or A Young Pitcher's Hardest Struggles_ + +From the Central League Joe goes to the St. Louis Nationals. + + + BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS + _or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_ + +Joe was traded to the Giants and became their mainstay. + + + BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES + _or Pitching for the Championship_ + +What Joe did to win the series will thrill the most jaded reader. + + + BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD + _or Pitching on a Grand Tour_ + +The Giants and the All-Americans tour the world. + + + BASEBALL JOE: HOME RUN KING + _or The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record_ + +Joe becomes the greatest batter in the game. + + + BASEBALL JOE SAVING THE LEAGUE + _or Breaking Up a Great Conspiracy_ + +Throwing the game meant a fortune but also dishonor and it was a great +honor to defeat it. + + +_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ + + + CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York + + + + +THE MOTOR BOYS SERIES + +BY CLARENCE YOUNG + + +_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid_ + +[Illustration] + + The Motor Boys + _or Chums Through Thick and Thin_ + + The Motor Boys Overland + _or A Long Trip for Fun and Fortune_ + + The Motor Boys In Mexico + _or The Secret of The Buried City_ + + The Motor Boys Across the Plains + _or The Hermit of Lost Lake_ + + The Motor Boys Afloat + _or The Cruise of the Dartaway_ + + The Motor Boys on the Atlantic + _or The Mystery of the Lighthouse_ + + The Motor Boys in Strange Waters + _or Lost in a Floating Forest_ + + The Motor Boys on the Pacific + _or The Young Derelict Hunters_ + + The Motor Boys in the Clouds + _or A Trip for Fame and Fortune_ + + The Motor Boys Over the Rockies + _or A Mystery of the Air_ + + The Motor Boys Over the Ocean + _or A Marvelous Rescue in Mid-Air_ + + The Motor Boys on the Wing + _or Seeking the Airship Treasure_ + + The Motor Boys After a Fortune + _or The Hut on Snake Island_ + + The Motor Boys on the Border + _or Sixty Nuggets of Gold_ + + The Motor Boys Under the Sea + _or From Airship to Submarine_ + + The Motor Boys on Road and River + _or Racing to Save a Life_ + + +THE MOTOR BOYS SECOND SERIES + +BY CLARENCE YOUNG + + Ned, Bob and Jerry at Boxwood Hall + _or The Motor Boys as Freshmen_ + + Ned, Bob and Jerry on a Ranch + _or The Motor Boys Among the Cowboys_ + + Ned, Bob and Jerry in the Army + _or The Motor Boys as Volunteers_ + + Ned, Bob and Jerry on the Firing Line + _or The Motor Boys Fighting for Uncle Sam_ + + Ned, Bob and Jerry Bound for Home + _or The Motor Boys on the Wrecked Troopship_ + + CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York + + + + +THE GREAT MARVEL SERIES + +BY ROY ROCKWOOD + + +_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors_ + +_=Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid=_ + + +[Illustration] + +_Stories of adventures in strange places, with peculiar people and +queer animals._ + + 1. THROUGH THE AIR TO THE NORTH POLE + _or The Wonderful Cruise of the Electric Monarch_ + +The tale of a trip to the frozen North with a degree of reality that is +most convincing. + + 2. UNDER THE OCEAN TO THE SOUTH POLE + _or The Strange Cruise of the Submarine Wonder_ + +A marvelous trip from Maine to the South Pole, telling of adventures +with the sea-monsters and savages. + + 3. FIVE THOUSAND MILES UNDERGROUND + _or The Mystery of the Center of the Earth_ + +A cruise to the center of the earth through an immense hole found at an +island in the ocean. + + 4. THROUGH SPACE TO MARS + _or The Most Wonderful Trip on Record_ + +This book tells how the journey was made in a strange craft and what +happened on Mars. + + 5. LOST ON THE MOON + _or In Quest of the Field of Diamonds_ + +Strange adventures on the planet which is found to be a land of +desolation and silence. + + 6. ON A TORN-AWAY WORLD + _or Captives of the Great Earthquake_ + +After a tremendous convulsion of nature the adventurers find themselves +captives on a vast "island in the air." + + +_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ + + + CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York + + + + +THE JACK RANGER SERIES + +BY CLARENCE YOUNG + +_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors_ + +_=Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid=_ + + +[Illustration] + +_Lively stories of outdoor sports and adventure every boy will want to +read._ + + + 1. JACK RANGER'S SCHOOL DAYS + _or The Rivals of Washington Hall_ + +You will love Jack Ranger--you simply can't help it. He is bright and +cheery, and earnest in all he does. + + + 2. JACK RANGER'S WESTERN TRIP + _or From Boarding School to Ranch and Range_ + +This volume takes the hero to the great West. Jack is anxious to clear +up the mystery surrounding his father's disappearance. + + + 3. JACK RANGER'S SCHOOL VICTORIES + _or Track, Gridiron and Diamond_ + +Jack gets back to Washington Hall and goes in for all sorts of school +games. There are numerous contests on the athletic field. + + + 4. JACK RANGER'S OCEAN CRUISE + _or The Wreck of the Polly Ann_ + +How Jack was carried off to sea against his will makes a "yarn" no boy +will want to miss. + + + 5. JACK RANGER'S GUN CLUB + _or From Schoolroom to Camp and Trail_ + +Jack organizes a gun club and with his chums goes in quest of big game. +They have many adventures in the mountains. + + + 6. JACK RANGER'S TREASURE BOX + _or The Outing of the Schoolboy Yachtsmen_ + +Jack receives a box from his father and it is stolen. How he regains it +makes an absorbing tale. + + +_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ + + + CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York + + + + +THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES + +BY LESTER CHADWICK + +_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors_ + +_=Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid=_ + +[Illustration] + +_Mr. Chadwick has played on the diamond and on the gridiron himself._ + + + 1. THE RIVAL PITCHERS + _A Story of College Baseball_ + +Tom Parsons, a "hayseed," makes good on the scrub team of Randall +College. + + + 2. A QUARTERBACK'S PLUCK + _A Story of College Football_ + +A football story, told in Mr. Chadwick's best style, that is bound to +grip the reader from the start. + + + 3. BATTING TO WIN + _A Story of College Baseball_ + +Tom Parsons and his friends Phil and Sid are the leading players on +Randall College team. There is a great game. + + + 4. THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN + _A Story of College Football_ + +After having to reorganize their team at the last moment, Randall makes +a touchdown that won a big game. + + + 5. FOR THE HONOR OF RANDALL + _A Story of College Athletics_ + +The winning of the hurdle race and long-distance run is extremely +exciting. + + + 6. THE EIGHT-OARED VICTORS + _A Story of College Water Sports_ + +Tom, Phil and Sid prove as good at aquatic sports as they are on track, +gridiron and diamond. + + +_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ + + + CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York + + + + +THE WEBSTER SERIES + +By FRANK V. WEBSTER + + +[Illustration] + +Mr. Webster's style is very much like that of the boys' favorite +author, the late lamented Horatio Alger, Jr., but his tales are +thoroughly up-to-date. + +=Cloth. 12mo. Over 200 pages each. Illustrated. Stamped in various +colors.= + +=Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid.= + + Only A Farm Boy + _or Dan Hardy's Rise in Life_ + + The Boy From The Ranch + _or Roy Bradner's City Experiences_ + + The Young Treasure Hunter + _or Fred Stanley's Trip to Alaska_ + + The Boy Pilot of the Lakes + _or Nat Morton's Perils_ + + Tom The Telephone Boy + _or The Mystery of a Message_ + + Bob The Castaway + _or The Wreck of the Eagle_ + + The Newsboy Partners + _or Who Was Dick Box?_ + + Two Boy Gold Miners + _or Lost in the Mountains_ + + The Young Firemen of Lakeville + _or Herbert Dare's Pluck_ + + The Boys of Bellwood School + _or Frank Jordan's Triumph_ + + Jack the Runaway + _or On the Road with a Circus_ + + Bob Chester's Grit + _or From Ranch to Riches_ + + Airship Andy + _or The Luck of a Brave Boy_ + + High School Rivals + _or Fred Markham's Struggles_ + + Darry The Life Saver + _or The Heroes of the Coast_ + + Dick The Bank Boy + _or A Missing Fortune_ + + Ben Hardy's Flying Machine + _or Making a Record for Himself_ + + Harry Watson's High School Days + _or The Rivals of Rivertown_ + + Comrades of the Saddle + _or The Young Rough Riders of the Plains_ + + Tom Taylor at West Point + _or The Old Army Officer's Secret_ + + The Boy Scouts of Lennox + _or Hiking Over Big Bear Mountain_ + + The Boys of the Wireless + _or a Stirring Rescue from the Deep_ + + Cowboy Dave + _or The Round-up at Rolling River_ + + Jack of the Pony Express + _or The Young Rider of the Mountain Trail_ + + The Boys of the Battleship + _or For the Honor of Uncle Sam_ + + + CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK + + + + +THE TOM FAIRFIELD SERIES + +By ALLEN CHAPMAN + +Author of the "Fred Fenton Athletic Series," "The Boys of Pluck +Series," and "The Darewell Chums Series." + +12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid. + +Tom Fairfield is a typical American lad, full of life and energy, a boy +who believes in doing things. To know Tom is to love him. + + +[Illustration] + + TOM FAIRFIELD'S SCHOOLDAYS + _or The Chums of Elmwood Hall_ + +Tells of how Tom started for school, of the mystery surrounding one of +the Hall seniors, and of how the hero went to the rescue. The first +book in a line that is bound to become decidedly popular. + + + TOM FAIRFIELD AT SEA + _or The Wreck of the Silver Star_ + +Tom's parents had gone to Australia and then been cast away somewhere +in the Pacific. Tom set out to find them and was himself cast away. A +thrilling picture of the perils of the deep. + + + TOM FAIRFIELD IN CAMP + _or The Secret of the Old Mill_ + +The boys decided to go camping, and located near an old mill. A wild +man resided there and he made it decidedly lively for Tom and his +chums. The secret of the old mill adds to the interest of the volume. + + + TOM FAIRFIELD'S PLUCK AND LUCK + _or Working to Clear His Name_ + +While Tom was back at school some of his enemies tried to get him into +trouble. Something unusual occurred and Tom was suspected of a crime. +How he set to work to clear his name is told in a manner to interest +all young readers. + + + TOM FAIRFIELD'S HUNTING TRIP + _or Lost in the Wilderness_ + +Tom was only a schoolboy, but he loved to use a shotgun or a rifle. In +this volume we meet him on a hunting trip full of outdoor life and good +times around the camp-fire. + + + CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK + + + + +THE SPEEDWELL BOYS SERIES + +By ROY ROCKWOOD + + +Author of "The Dave Dashaway Series," "Great Marvel Series," etc. + +12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid. + +All boys who love to be on the go will welcome the Speedwell boys. They +are clean cut and loyal lads. + + +[Illustration] + + THE SPEEDWELL BOYS ON MOTOR CYCLES + _or The Mystery of a Great Conflagration_ + +The lads were poor, but they did a rich man a great service and he +presented them with their motor cycles. What a great fire led to is +exceedingly well told. + + + THE SPEEDWELL BOYS AND THEIR RACING AUTO + _or A Run for the Golden Cup_ + +A tale of automobiling and of intense rivalry on the road. There was an +endurance run and the boys entered the contest. On the run they rounded +up some men who were wanted by the law. + + + THE SPEEDWELL BOYS AND THEIR POWER LAUNCH + _or To the Rescue of the Castaways_ + +Here is an unusual story. There was a wreck, and the lads, in their +power launch, set out to the rescue. A vivid picture of a great storm +adds to the interest of the tale. + + + THE SPEEDWELL BOYS IN A SUBMARINE + _or The Lost Treasure of Rocky Cove_ + +An old sailor knows of a treasure lost under water because of a cliff +falling into the sea. The boys get a chance to go out in a submarine +and they make a hunt for the treasure. + + + THE SPEEDWELL BOYS AND THEIR ICE RACER + _or The Perils of a Great Blizzard_ + +The boys had an idea for a new sort of iceboat, to be run by combined +wind and motor power. How they built the craft, and what fine times +they had on board of it, is well related. + + + CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK + + + + + * * * * * * + + + +Transcriber's note: + + --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected + except as indicated below. + + --Archaic and variable spellings were preserved. + + --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. + + --Inconsistencies in formatting and punctuation of individual + advertisements have been retained. + + --A List of Illustrations has been provided for the convenience of + the reader. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43940 *** |