The Rival Pitchers: A Story of College Baseball

  CHAPTER XIX

  TOM IN COLD WATER

  Langridge at the first effort sent out a hot liner, which flew just overthe pitcher's head. The second baseman made a jump for it and the ballbegan to roll along in front of the center fielder. Amid a wild burst ofyells Langridge raced for first and got there safely, not daring to goon to second, as Ogden had run down to help cover it.

  "That's the stuff! that's the stuff! That's the way to line 'em out!"chanted an excited voice, and Tom looked around to see the twosilk-hatted "old grads" embracing each other and doing an impromptudance in their seats.

  "Aren't they jolly!" exclaimed Miss Tyler.

  "Very, but they're crowing too soon. The game has only just begun. BoxerHall will play strong."

  And Tom's prediction came true, for in spite of the auspicious openingby Langridge, not a man crossed home plate for the Randalls that inning,the pitcher dying on third. Then it came the turn of the home team toshow what they could do in holding down the visitors. It looked as ifthey were going to do it, too, for Langridge struck out the first twomen. But he gave the next one a pass to first and was batted for atwo-bagger by the following player, the inning ending with one run forBoxer. The Randall College boys and their girl supporters began to lookanxious and so did some of the "old grads." On the other side there waslaughter, cheers and jollity, while some of the aged former students ofBoxer began to chant oldtime college songs.

  "Oh, I do hope our fellows win," exclaimed Miss Tyler, and there was ananxious look on her pretty face, while she tapped her flag of colorsimpatiently against her little foot.

  "Have you a bet on the game?" asked Tom. "A box of candy or somegloves?"

  "No, but I want to see Randall win. Besides, Fred--I mean Mr.Langridge--he told me he was going to work hard for success, and I neverlike to see any one disappointed--do you?"

  "No," said Tom rather shortly. He really did not care to hear hisrival's praises sung by this fair damsel.

  "Do you know," she went on, "I've been thinking of what you started totell me about him the other day. Is it really true?"

  "Well," began Tom slowly, "if you will excuse the privilege of a friendwho has known you for some time, I would say that I don't believe yourpeople would like you to go with him."

  "Why, mamma knows his uncle, who is his guardian, and she says he isvery nice--I mean the uncle," and she laughed a little.

  "I have no doubt of it. I only----"

  But Tom did not say what he was going to, for just then Pinky Davenport,captain of the Boxers, knocked what Holly Cross described later as a"lalapoolassa" fly, which went clear over the center fielder's head andnetted a home run for the captain of the visitors.

  What yelling and shouting there was then! It seemed to put new life intothe opponents of Randall, if such was needed, for they began piling upthe score until they were six runs in the lead.

  Then Randall "took a brace," encouraged by the yells of the "old grads"and others, and by the eighth inning had cut it down even. In the closeof the eighth they held their opponents down to one run, making itnecessary to gather in two to win the game, but with that it meantholding the visitors hitless in the last half of the final inning.

  The first part of the program was carried out all right. By somephenomenal playing Randall managed to get the lead by one run. Theywould have had another but for a miscalculation on the part of Ed Kerr,who was caught napping between third and home, where he was run downand put out.

  "Now, fellows, we have them on the hip!" exclaimed Captain Woodhouse ashe called his players together for a little talk before the finalstruggle was made. "If we can hold them down this inning we have them.Langridge, it's up to you!"

  "I know it. But don't worry, I'll do it."

  It sounded well, and there was a determined look in the pitcher's face,but his eyes were unnaturally bright. His pitching had been raggedduring the last three innings and the sudden decline of the abilities ofthe Boxer players had done as much as anything to give Randall herchance.

  "Oh, I hope Fred strikes three out, one right after the other!"exclaimed Miss Tyler as she shifted nervously in her seat. "He must beunder a dreadful strain."

  "Probably he is," said Tom. "But if he takes a brace now he'll be allright."

  "He's been taking too many bracers--that's what's the matter with him,"said a voice back of Tom, and he knew it was one of the former graduatesspeaking. Tom looked at the girl beside him. Either she had not heard orshe took no notice of the remark.

  It was a tense moment when Langridge sent in the first ball. It wascalled a strike and the batsman looked surprised. The next was a ball,but two more strikes were called without the player getting a chance toswing at the horsehide. Langridge smiled at the cheers which greetedhim. Then he did what few other pitchers could have done under thecircumstances. He struck out the next two men, though one did manage tohit a high foul, which Kerr missed. Langridge had saved the game byholding the other team hitless.

  Such a cheer as went up then when it was seen that Randall had won! Thestamping of feet on the stands sounded like thunder. Back of Tom andMiss Tyler two old men began yelling like Indians, hugging each otherand whirling about. They were the two "old grads" of '73. They werewaving their hats in the air and yelling "Randall! Randall! Randall!"until their faces were the color of raw beef.

  "Wow!" cried the taller of the two. "This does my heart good! I'm fortyyears young again. Wow! Whoop-la!"

  Suddenly he drew back his hand and his silk hat went sailing over theedge of the grandstand to the grass of the outfield. It was caught bysome Randall players and quickly kicked out of shape.

  "Why, that was a new hat!" exclaimed the man's companion.

  "I know it, but there's more where that came from. I can buy a new hatevery day, but I can't see my old college win such a game as this. Wow!Whoop!"

  "That's right. I'm with you," and a second hat went the way of thefirst, while the old men capered about like boys. They were given around of cheers on their own account by the team when the playersunderstood what had happened. Ford Fenton was running about, allexcited, trying to find his relative.

  "Have you seen my uncle?" he asked several.

  "No!" cried Holly Cross. "And if I do, I'll shoot him on sight! Get outor I'll eat you up," and with a roar of simulated wrath he rushed atpoor Fenton, who beat a hasty retreat.

  Tom was jubilant at the success of his college, nor did he withholdunstinted praise for Langridge. He had been surprised at the suddenimprovement shown. Tom and Miss Tyler walked across the grounds towardthe campus, the girl looking back several times. Suddenly Langridgeappeared from amid a group of players.

  "I'll be with you in a minute," he called to Miss Tyler, "as soon as Ichange my duds. Wait for me."

  There was an air of proprietorship in the words and the girl must havefelt them, for she turned away without speaking.

  "Perhaps I'd better say good-afternoon," spoke Tom, a trifle piqued.

  "Not unless you want to," she replied with a quick look at him.

  "Of course I don't want to, but I thought----"

  "Don't bother to think," she added with a little laugh. "It's tiresome.Come and show me the river. Not that I haven't seen it before, but it'sso beautiful to-day, I want some one to enjoy it with me."

  "How would you like to go for a little row?" asked Tom. "I can get aboat and we'll go to Crest Island."

  "That will be lovely. The water is like glass."

  They were soon afloat. Tom was a good oarsman and sent the light craftahead with powerful strokes. They spent some little time on the island,where other pleasure seekers were, and when the shadows began tolengthen started back.

  "I've enjoyed it ever so much," said Miss Tyler gratefully as the craftneared the float adjoining the college boathouse.

  "That's good," said Tom heartily. "Perhaps you will go again."

  "I probably shall--if any one asks me," she replied archly, and then hehelped her out, whispering as he did so, for the
re were quite a numberon the float, "I'll be sure to ask you, Madge." Tom may have imaginedit, but he thought there was just a little return of the pressure whenhe pressed the hand he held.

  "Well, I thought you were going to wait for me," exclaimed a voice, andLangridge pushed his way through the throng and came close to where MissTyler was standing, waiting for Tom to tie the boat.

  "I didn't say so," she answered.

  "But you--you----" Langridge did not know what to say.

  "I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me now," said the girl calmly, thoughshe smiled at Langridge in no unfriendly fashion.

  "Come and take a walk," he almost ordered. "I want to say something toyou."

  Before she could answer Tom was at her side. He looked keenly atLangridge and was about to make some reply when the 'varsity pitcherreached out as though to link his arm in that of the girl. Miss Tylerdrew back and Langridge edged himself forward. He may have been merelyeager or it may have been the result of intention. At any rate, hejostled Tom to one side and the next minute the pitcher of the scrub,vainly endeavoring to retain his balance, toppled into the cold water ofthe river.