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X. THE CRUCIAL MOMENT XI. A CHANGE OF PITCHERS XII. WON IN THE NINTH XIII. RACKLIFF'S TREACHERY XIV. JEALOUSY XV. PLAIN TALK FROM ELIOT XVI. DREAD XVII. THE BOY ON THE BENCH XVIII. A LOST OPPORTUNITY XIX. POISON SPLEEN XX. FELLOWS WHO MADE MISTAKES XXI. A PERSISTENT RASCAL XXII. SELF-RESTRAINT OR COWARDICE XXIII. HOOKER BREAKS WITH RACKLIFF XXIV. ONCE MORE XXV. THE WYNDHAM PITCHER XXVI. THE PLUNGE FROM THE BRIDGE XXVII. A REBELLIOUS CONSCIENCE XXVIII. WHEN THE SIGNALS WERE CHANGED XXIX. PHIL GETS HIS EYES OPEN XXX. THE GREATEST VICTORY
ILLUSTRATIONS
Phil sends the first ball . . . . . . . . . . . . Frontispiece
Ere the horsehide was brought down between Rod's shoulder-blades, his hand had found the plate
"Several prominent members of the great Oakdale baseball team, I observe," said Rackliff
The local crowd "rooted" hard
CHAPTER I.
THE BOY WHO WANTED TO PITCH.
During the noon intermission of a sunny April day a small group of boys assembled near the steps of Oakdale Academy to talk baseball; for the opening of the season was at hand, and the germ of the game had already begun to make itself felt in their blood. Roger Eliot, the grave, reliable, steady-headed captain of the nine, who had scored such a pronounced success as captain of the eleven the previous autumn, was the central figure of that gathering. Chipper Cooper, Ben Stone, Sleuth Piper, Chub Tuttle, Sile Crane and Roy Hooker formed the remainder of the assemblage.
"The field will be good and dry to-night, fellows," said Roger, "and we ought to get in some much-needed practice for that game with Barville. I want every fellow to come out, sure."
"Ho!" gurgled Chub Tuttle, cracking a peanut and dexterously nipping the double kernel into his mouth. "We'll be there, though I don't believe we need much practice to beat that Barville bunch. We ate 'em up last year."
"We!" s