The Lucky Seventh

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  CHAPTER VI

  CLEARFIELD PLAYS THE POINT

  Clearfield boarded the two-fifteen trolley car on Wednesday and set outfor Rutter's Point in high spirits. They had intended taking thetwo-o'clock car, but Harry Bryan and Fudge had failed to arrive at thestarting point on time. Harry claimed business affairs as his reason fortardiness, but Fudge's excuse was both vague and involved, and Gordoninformed him that the next time he failed to be on time he would be leftbehind. Fudge smiled dreamily.

  The team in their gray uniforms with purple stockings presented a verynatty appearance. To be sure, some of the stockings were pretty wellfaded and several of the suits were somewhat stained, but on the wholethe players passed muster very well. They took possession of the firsttwo seats on the car and had a very happy and fairly noisy time of it.Dick and Gordon got their heads together over the batting order andrearranged it for the third time. When it was finally fixed to theirliking it was as follows: Bryan, 2b; Scott, 3b; Merrick, 1b; Wayland, l.f.; Tappen, r. f.; Robey, ss.; White, c.; Shaw, c. f.; Haley, p.

  "We'll try it that way," said Gordon, "and see how it goes. Maybe we'dbetter put Jack after me, though. What do you think?"

  "We had it that way, and you thought we'd better change it," answeredDick patiently.

  "I know, but--but I guess he ought to follow me, Dick."

  "Look here," said Dick, with a smile, "who's manager here?"

  "You are," replied Gordon, a trifle sheepishly.

  "All right. I just wanted to know."

  "Then--you think----"

  "I think the batting order is going to stay just as it is!"

  They reached the field shortly after half-past two, and found a handfulof spectators from the hotel and cottages already seated in the shade ofthe little row of trees behind the third-base line. The Point team wasnot in evidence, and Gordon quickly distributed his players over thediamond and started warming up. Five minutes later the rival teamappeared by ones and twos, and Caspar Billings sought Dick where he waswatching the performance of his charges. When Gordon came in from firstbase, Dick introduced the rival captains and they shook hands. Otherintroductions followed, but several of the Point fellows were alreadyknown to the Clearfield members. Clearfield gave up the diamond to heropponents at ten minutes to three, and watched their practice. The Pointteam was not in agreement, it appeared, as to a uniform. Every playerwore togs of some sort, but at least a half-dozen schools wererepresented, and there were stockings of about every color in the solarspectrum in evidence. The umpire was named Vokes, and was a college manwho was serving as a clerk at the hotel. Gordon decided that while Mr.Vokes' sympathies might be with Rutter's Point he was not the sort tolet them affect his decisions. Also, Gordon reflected, unless he wasvery much mistaken, Vokes knew baseball from A to Z. As it turned out,Gordon was not mistaken, and Mr. Vokes' umpiring was perhaps the mostperfect feature of that far from perfect contest.

  Clearfield, as the visiting team, went to bat first. Dick, who had beengiven the Point batting list by a youth who was to score for the hometeam, was relieved to find that Mason was not set down as a pitcher.Dick didn't know a thing about Mason, but he somehow had got theimpression that Mason was something a bit unusual. Evidently he had notarrived in time for to-day's game. The pitcher whom the Point presentedwas named Porter. He looked capable and wore a Lawrenceville cap withwhat Dick took to be the second team insignia over the visor.

  The Point team averaged perhaps a year and a half more than the visitingnine, and was almost entirely composed of players from well-knownpreparatory schools. As, however, they had never performed togetherbefore as a team, save in one or two desultory practice games with anine made up of hotel employees, Dick had hopes of taking their measureto-day.

  Some seventy or eighty onlookers were gathered together on the grassbehind the third base line, prepared to root for the Pointers, whenPorter delivered the first ball to Harry Bryan. It was a pretty hotafternoon, for what breeze there was came from the landward side of thesun-smitten field. Two settees had been placed on the first-base side ofthe plate for the accommodation of the visitors, and here Dick and theothers sat in the full glare of the afternoon sun, Dick perspiring overhis score book and the rest watching interestedly the behavior of therival pitcher. The field was fairly level about the infield, but furtherout it rolled a good deal and was covered with rough, bunchy grass.

  Porter disposed of Harry Bryan without trouble, and Will Scott took hisplace at the plate. Will beat out a slow grounder to shortstop and wentto second on Gordon's bunt down third base line. But Gordon was out atfirst and Curtis Wayland let the third strike get by him.

  Rutter's Point led off with a clean two-base hit by Caspar Billings andfollowed it with a neat sacrifice bunt that placed the captain on third.But he died there a few minutes later, for Tom Haley struck out MorrisBrent easily and made the next man pop up a fly to Pete Robey.

  The second inning passed without a score, but in the first of the third,after Tom Haley had struck out, Harry Bryan drove a long fly into rightfield and reached second when the fielder misjudged it. Will Scottwalked and Gordon hit clean past third, Harry scoring the first run andleaving third and second occupied. Way went out, second to first. JackTappen put himself in a hole and then emerged brilliantly with a smashthat was too hot for the pitcher. Will scored and Jack reached firstsafely. With Gordon on third, Jack tried a steal. To his surprise thePoint catcher slammed the ball down to shortstop and Jack was caught ayard away from base. Gordon scored too late.

  But with a lead of two runs things looked bright for Clearfield. ThePoint again failed to cross the platter, although Loring Townsend got asfar as second. Tom's shoots were too much for the home team. Neitherside scored in the fourth. When the first half of the fifth began PeteRobey was up, and Pete, contrary to expectations, delivered a scratchhit and reached the first bag. Lanny flied out to left fielder and Petereached second ahead of the throw-in. Fudge went out on strikes and,with Tom Haley up, the inning seemed over. But Tom made his one hit ofthe game, a Texas Leaguer that fell safely behind first baseman, andPete legged it for the plate and arose from the dust triumphant with atally. Tom got to second on the throw to the plate, but Harry was out,third baseman to first.

  So far Clearfield had played a clean game in the field, but in the lastof the fifth luck deserted her. A hard smash down the first base lineput a runner on second. A slow hit to Will Scott should have been aneasy out, but Will booted the ball and the runner was safe. The next manwent out on a foul to Gordon, but the following batsman cracked a linerbetween Peter and Harry and the Point scored its first run. With a manon third, Lanny declined to throw to second and the runner on firstworked an easy steal. Then a batsman found one of Tom's straight onesand sent it into short center. Fudge made a fine running catch, but thebest he could do was to field the ball to Harry and Harry's throw to theplate was too late to keep the Point from tying the score. Tom settleddown then and struck out the next batter and the inning was over, withthe score three to two.

  The spectators warmed up then and there was plenty of noise during therest of the game. The sixth inning was uneventful, although both sidesgot men on bases. The Point pitcher was by no means remarkable, and, asGordon complained, his deliveries would have been easy for Clearfieldhad the latter's batsmen been in any sort of condition. As it was,though, they found him puzzling when hits meant runs and by the end ofthe sixth he had seven strike-outs to his credit. It was during the lasthalf of that inning that a small youth detached himself from the groupof spectators across the field and walked around to the Clearfield benchand seated himself beside Dick. He was a good-looking youngster, asbrown as a berry, with a pair of big and rather impudent gray eyes.

  "Hello," he said.

  "Hello," responded Dick, glancing up from his score. "How are youto-day, Harold?"

  "Fine and dandy," replied that youth easily. "Keeping score?"

  "Yes," answered Dick, crediting Harry Bryan with an assist and Gordonwith a put-out
and penciling the mystic characters "2-1 1" in the squareopposite Pink Northrop's name. "Enjoying the game, Harold?"

  Harold Townsend yawned. "I guess so. We're going to beat you fellows."

  "Think so?" asked Dick amiably.

  "Sure thing. Our pitcher's just getting good now. Bede Porter neverbegins to pitch till the middle of the game. He will have you fellowseating out of his hand pretty soon."

  "Well, he's pitched a pretty good game so far. Hello!" Dick was gazingin surprise at the boy beside him. "What have you done to your hair?"

  Harold grinned. "Had it clipped. Mother's so angry she can't seestraight. She said I wasn't to, but I went down to the barber shop thismorning before breakfast. Gee, it's fine and cool!"

  "Hardly the right thing to do, though, was it?"

  "Oh, she'll get over it. Other fellows have their heads clipped insummer, don't they?"

  Dick evaded the question. "How are you getting on with your lessons?" heasked. "Going to be all ready for me Monday morning?"

  "I guess so," replied Harold without enthusiasm. "Who's the fellowcatching for your team, Lovering?"

  "Lansing White."

  "Gee, that's a good name for him, White. He's a regular tow-head, isn'the?"

  "Is he? He's a fine chap, though."

  "He don't catch as well as Billy Houghton. Look at the way Gil Chasestole on him last inning. Say, you keep score dandy, don't you? Isn't ithard?"

  "Not very, when you're used to it. Would you like to learn how?"

  "No, I can do it well enough. It's too much trouble, anyhow. I'd ratherplay. My brother's the best player on our team."

  "Better than Caspar Billings?" asked Dick idly.

  "Aw, go on! He can't play! Why, Loring's been first baseman on hisschool team for two years. He could be captain if he wanted to."

  "That's very nice," said Dick. "Now you'd better scoot along and makeroom for the fellows. That's three out. I'll see you Monday, Harold."

  "All right. Don't come if it's too much trouble," replied the boy with agrin. "I shan't mind."

  "That your pupil?" asked Lanny, sinking on to the bench beside Dick."Looks like a fresh kid."

  "He is, rather," replied Dick dryly. "Will, you'd better play furtherin. That fellow House has laid three bunts down the base line and madethem good twice. You're up, Jack. Pete on deck. Let's have a couple ofruns this inning, fellows."