Then Darrin gave a sudden gasp, for, at his first delivery, Dick
sized up the ball, located it, and punched it. That ball dropped
in center field just as Dick was turning the first bag. It sped
on, but Dick turned back from too big a risk.
But he looked at Greg, waiting idly at bat, and Holmes caught the
full meaning of that appealing look.
"It's now or never," growled Greg between his teeth. "It's seldom
any good to depend at all on the ninth inning."
Darrin, with a full knowledge of what was threatened to the Navy
by the present situation, tried his best to rattle Greg. And
one strike was called on Holmesy, but the second strike he called
himself by some loud talk of bat against leather. Then, while
the ball sped into right field, Greg ran after it, stopping, however,
at first bag, while Prescott sprinted down to second bag, kicked
it slightly, and came back to it.
It was up to Lanton, of the Army, now! In this crisis the Army
first baseman either lacked true diamond nerve, or else he could
not see Darrin's curves well, for Lanton took the call of two
strikes before he was awarded called balls enough to permit him
to lope contentedly away to first. This advanced both Dick and
Greg.
Bases full---no outs! Three runs needed!
This was the throbbing situation that confronted Cadet Carter
as he picked up an Army bat and stood by the plate, facing the
"wicked" and well-nigh invincible Darrin of the Navy!
CHAPTER XX
THE VIVID FINISH OF THE GAME
On both sides of the field, every one was standing on seats.
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