Griggs courier., 1898-09-22

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fiend. jumped In the air what looked
like two feet. but was probably only
ten inches or 20, and caught the ball.
There was . great clapping at this
among their crowd, and they gave
their yell for the first time. 1t was:
"Helter skelter, hobble gobble, siss,
boom, ah! DEMO, DEMO, Rah, raj, ,rahl"
The left fielder, whose name was Turn
ner grinned at me like a gargoyle. The
fellow was q disreputable-looking chap.
and made me feel sick. determined
that I would strike out next time be-
fore would send hitin his direction;
but I changed my mind about this
later, as you will see.
At first I had put my sweater on
over my uniform, and had my vest
on under that. I had been really chilly
while we had been waiting around for
the game to begin, but now I was get
ting warmed up. When went back to
the corner where our fellows were
gathered stripped of my sweater,
and then Remembered for the first
time that had forgotten to take of
my vest, which had my watch in it.
It was nice gold one. which one Of
my dearest aunts had given me, and I
wouldn't have lost it for anything.
We usually gave our valuables to
Anderson TO keep. He had the deep
est pockets, and the most Of them, that
1 ever saw in my life; but there was
Anderson 40 rods of under the trees
among all the ladies, and didn't want
to take it clear over there. There was
safe dressing-room III the school; but
it was an eighth Of mile across the
green to the school building, and was
altogether too much excited to leave
everything just now and go over there.
Berrian, our scorer, was sitting right
here, and believed the watch would
be secure enough under his care.
II am going to leave my watch in
my vest pocket" ! said to Gardner,
our second" who was "in the hole''
and looking pretty anxious as the fellow
grounder right into the shortstop's
hands, thus making two out for us. II
guess it will be safe enough. I'm too
hot to wear the vest, and Berrian's
right here"
sently, and listening while Berrian
called Worthley to bat, Gardner on
deck and Niles in the hole. ''Still,' he
added, suddenly. you'd better give II
to Anderson. Thisis hard set around
here"
"Nonsense!" said, impatiently.
"Who could touch it while Berrian is
close by so?"
Gardner didn'tsay anything. Worth
ley had made base hit, and Gardner
was called to bat.
I pinned the vest together hastily.
Berrian was industriously jotting
down the assists and put-outs. He
vowed now in an aside to me that the
umpire had just called two strikes on
Gardner when there had only been
one. He was getting very mad.
''Look out for my watch, Berrian,' .
I said, confidentially. "It is under my
sweater, right in my vest-pocket
there"
Then I settled down to the game.
Befrian was qliyering with excite
ment. He probably knew as little of
what had been saying to him as a
hen. Gardner was now on first base,
Worthley was stealing third, and Niles,
our 'short," hard batsman, was up.
It looked as though we might get in a
run. Niles gave glorious hit; but it
veered off foul, and one of their long
legged fielders caught it, so that we
were without run in spite of two men
on bases.
Turner was their first man at bat.
He was clean hitter; and the first !
knew down came swift ball in my di-
rection, considerably above my head.
Incited. probably, by his example, I
gave a jump into the air which must
have seemed as high as Turner's in the
field; and I, too, caught the ball, and in
my turn put him out.
Now had chance to grin. knew
that I hadn't received Turner's grin
with much grace; but he received
mine, as the umpire called "Out!" with
a really vicious scowl. didn't care,
however, under the circumstances.
We got three men out in short order,
and the next inning opened without
run on either side.
We had advanced to the fourth in
nirg, and the score stood three to two
in our favor, when it occurred to me
that I might as well look after my
watch. Istrolled up to Berrian, there
fore, and remarked, casually: "I sup
pos my watch is all right
"Watch!" he said, Grossly, keeping
me waiting while he put down an
error for Gardner. "Where in thunder
is your watch, anyway? Haven't seen
it."
I realized that he had paid no atten-
tion to what had said when left the
watch, and that he had not felt the
slightest responsibility for it. Ibegan
to tumble nervously among the clothes
on the ground beside him. It had been
growing warmer steadily all the after
noon, and several sweaters and jerseys
had been piled on top of my things.
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