CHAPTER XXVII
A GLEAM OF LIGHT
There was no trouble at all in finding out the reason why Rockledge wasthe tail-ender. The batting and fielding of the team was all that couldbe asked for. Both in offense and defense they had the edge on theirrivals. The weakness lay in the pitcher's box.
It was not that Hicksley did not work hard. He had a double reason nowfor pitching at the top of his speed, for he not only wanted to win theglory to himself, but he wanted to show that the absence of Bobby didnot weaken the team.
But the trouble with him was that, as a rule, he could not last for thefull nine innings. He would go along like a house afire for the firsthalf of the game. Then about the fifth or sixth inning, he would beginto falter, and in some one of the remaining innings would "go up with abang."
At such times there was no one to come to the rescue, as in the firstgame that Bobby had pulled out of the fire. Spentz, the right fielder,who knew a little about twirling, had replaced him once but had not beenable to undo the damage. In the game with Ridgefield, Hicksley hadmanaged to last long enough to win by one run, and in the second gamewith Somerset had pitched fairly well, though he lost. But Ridgefieldhad come back with an easy victory, and Belden had fairly smothered himunder a shower of hits to every part of the field. So that the outlookwas very blue for Rockledge, and the boys fairly squirmed under thecrowing of the Belden fellows whenever they met them on the trolley orin the town.
"If we only had Bobby in the box, we'd be going along at the head of theprocession," groaned Fred.
"That yellow streak of Hicksley's comes out in almost every game,"growled Sparrow.
"He can't stand the gaff when it comes to a pinch," assented Skeetsgloomily.
"A fellow who would lie as he did about Bobby doesn't deserve to haveany luck," grunted Pee Wee.
"He's a hoodoo," agreed Shiner. "But what are we going to do?" he askeddespairingly. "We haven't anybody else to take his place, now that Bobbyis out of it."
Things were at this stage, when Bobby and Fred, who had been on a tripto town, were caught on their return in a terrific thunder storm. Theywere lucky enough to find refuge in a culvert under the railroad, andthere they waited till the storm had spent its fury.
It was one of the worst storms they ever remembered, and peal after pealof thunder shook the earth, while streaks of jagged lightning shotacross the sky.
"Scubbity-_yow_!" exclaimed Fred, after one particularly violent clap ofthunder, followed by a blinding flash. "I'll bet that hit around heresomewhere."
"I wouldn't like to be near anything it hit," replied Bobby.
The rain came down in torrents for some time longer, but at last thestorm abated, rifts of blue sky appeared in the clouds, and the boysstarted off toward the school.
They were taking a short cut through the woods, when they were startledat seeing a great tree, that had been split from top to base, lyingacross the path.
"Jiminy Christmas!" exclaimed Bobby. "This is what the lightning hitthat time."
"It made a clean job of it," cried Fred. "But listen," he added, asmuffled sounds came from the great tangle of branches. "What's makingthat noise?"
"It's somebody in there!" ejaculated Bobby, as he peered through thegreen welter of boughs and branches. "Quick, Fred, let's get in there."
With much difficulty, they forced their way through the tangle offoliage, until they were able to see two dim figures crouching in thecenter of the mass. Their surprise was great and became still greater,when they recognized them as two of the smaller of the Rockledge boys,Charlie White and Jimmy Thacker.
They were confused by their fright, and were whimpering. They gave onlybroken and stammering replies to the questions of their rescuers, whohad a good deal of work in getting them out from the boughs that heldthem down.
They were finally pulled out to the open air. They were more frightenedthan hurt, although they had a number of scratches and bruises where thebranches had swept against them in their fall.
"How did you boys manage to be caught in there?" queried Bobby and Fredin one breath.
"We were standing under a tree while it was raining," answered Charlie,who was not quite as upset as his companion, "when this other tree washit and fell over. We tried to run, but the branches caught us before wecould get away."
"I thought sure we were going to get killed!" whimpered Jimmy.
"Don't you fellows know that you ought never to stand under a tree in athunderstorm?" demanded Fred.
"We know it now," returned Charlie; "and you can be sure we'll never doit again."
"Are you much hurt?" asked Bobby anxiously.
"I guess not," answered Charlie, "but we've got lots of scratches."
"Let's see if you can walk all right," ordered Bobby.
They made the attempt, and although they were wobbly and uncertain ontheir legs, all were relieved to find that no bones had been broken.
"You'll be all right as soon as you get over your scare," pronouncedFred.
"It was mighty lucky for us that you two boys came along," said Jimmygratefully.
"Yes," added Charlie. "We were held down by those heavy branches, and Idon't see how we would have got out by ourselves."
"After this, Charlie," said Jimmy, looking at his companion, "we oughtto tell Bobby all we know about the fellow who threw that egg into theelectric fan."
Their hearers started as though they had been shot.
"Who was it?" cried Fred excitedly.
"Out with it!" commanded Bobby.
Bobby Blake on the School Nine; Or, The Champions of the Monatook Lake League Page 27