CHAPTER XXIV
SAM ARRIVES
Whether the Stars were determined to show their opponents what theycould do when they tried or whether it was because they wanted to showtheir confidence in Joe, or even whether it was due to a slump in theplaying of the Academy team, was not made manifest, but at any rate intheir half of the sixth inning our friends gathered in four runs, makingthe score ten to three in their favor.
"Oh, it's a walk-over," boasted Tom Davis as he did an impromptu wardance.
"Yes, we've got 'em beat a mile," added Seth Potter.
"Don't be too sure," commented the Academy captain. "No game is wonuntil it's over and we've got three more innings yet. The seventh isalways our lucky number."
"You're welcome to all you can get," rejoined Captain Rankin with alaugh. "Seven is where we always eat pie, too."
The Stars were about to take the field for the beginning of the seventhwhen there was a commotion over at one entrance gate. A lad came runningthrough the crowd.
"Hold on!" he cried. "Wait! I'm going to play. Let me pitch!"
"Sam Morton!" burst out Tom Davis. "Why couldn't he stay away until wehad the game won? I'll bet we slump as soon as he goes in the box."
Sam came on running. He was panting and out of breath.
"What's the matter? Where were you?" demanded Darrell.
"I got on--the wrong car. I thought it--came here. They--took me off--inthe woods--somewhere. I've had an awful time--getting here. Is thegame--over?"
"No, we're just starting the seventh."
"Can't I pitch?"
Darrell hesitated. It was a perfectly natural request for Sam and yetJoe had been doing so well that both the manager and the captaindisliked to take him off the mound.
"Can't I pitch?" again demanded Sam. "You don't mean to tell me that JoeMatson has----"
"Joe hasn't done anything but what we wanted him to," put in Rankinquickly, "and he's made a good record."
"Oh, I suppose so," sneered Sam. "Well, if you don't want me to----"
"Of course you can pitch," said Darrell quietly. It was unquestioninglySam's right and though he was in rather an exhausted condition still themanager and captain knew that he was at his best early in his game.
"What are you going to do; change pitchers?" demanded the manager of theAcademy team, striding up to Darrell and Captain Rankin.
"Yes."
"You can't do it now."
"Why not?"
"It's against the rules. You've got to have some one bat for him first.You can't change until next inning."
There was quite a mix-up, and rules were quoted and mis-quoted back andforth, for, as I have said, the lads were far from being professional oreven college players. The upshot of it was that Sam was allowed to goin, whether or not in accordance with the rules the boys did not decide,and the little feeling that had been raised soon subsided, for they wereall true sportsmen.
As for Joe, at first he felt humiliated that he was displaced but herealized that he had had more honor that he had at first expected, andhis arm was beginning to pain him very much. So, on the whole, he wasglad Sam had arrived when he did.
Not so the captain, manager and other Star players, however, for Samallowed two runs while he occupied the box, and the Academy team andtheir friends were jubilant.
The Stars managed to get two runs in their half of the seventh. Joe didnot play, his place at centre field continuing to be filled by Tom. Joewas glad of the rest and he watched the efforts of his rival closely.
In the eighth Sam did not seem able to pull himself together and threeruns were due to his poor pitching.
"Say, if we play innings enough we'll beat 'em even with their newpitcher!" called some one in the crowd, anxious to get Sam's "goat," ornerve.
And this seemed likely. In their half of the eighth the Stars only gotone run, and when the ninth inning opened there were some anxious heartsamong the members of the visiting team.
And then came a terrible slump. Sam grew wild, allowed bases on balls,struck one man and muffed an easy fly. When the route and riot were overthere were five runs to the credit of the schoolboy players and they hadtied the score, pulling up from a long way in the rear. The crowd wentwild for them.
"Fellows, we've got to make our half of this inning count," said Darrellearnestly. "They're making fools of us and they're not in our class atall. We've got to beat them! Sam, wake up!" he said sharply.
"I'm not asleep!" retorted the pitcher. "If you think I am why don't yousend that Matson in again?"
"Easy now, easy," spoke Rankin. "You can pitch if you pull yourselftogether, and if we can't make a run this inning and it goes to thetenth you'll have to unwind some curves."
"I will, but it won't go to the tenth."
It didn't, for the Stars took a brace and pulled off one run, winningthe game by a score of fourteen to thirteen. But it had been a closecall.
"Well, you beat us," acknowledged the Academy manager as the winning runcame in. "But it took two pitchers to do it, and you'd have done betterif you'd stuck to the first one."
"Perhaps," admitted Darrell. "You played better than I gave you creditfor."
"Why don't you use that first pitcher regularly?" the home captainwanted to know.
"Oh, maybe----" began Darrell, and then he saw Sam standing closebeside him, and he did not finish.
"What were you going to say?" demanded Sam roughly.
"Nothing," answered the manager in some confusion. He was saved afurther reply by the approach of a boy who held a note in his hand.
"Is Joe Matson here?" the lad asked.
"Right over there," said Darrell, pointing to where the young pitcherwas talking to Tom Davis.
"I've got a letter for him," the messenger went on.
Joe rapidly tore open the envelope and read the few words the notecontained.
"I've got to leave here," he said to Tom.
"Why? What's the matter? Nothing wrong I hope."
"I don't know," answered Joe. "The note says I'm to come home at once.They've sent a carriage for me. I hope nothing has happened to--toanybody," and gulping down a suspicious lump in his throat Joe followedthe lad off the diamond.