Everybody seemed to be rooting when Captain Martin stepped up. He succeeded in picking out a good one, and with the sound of the blow there was an instinctive loud "Oh!" on the part of hundreds. But, alas! for the fate of Harmony! the ball went directly at Fred Badger, who sent it straight home in time to catch Hutchings by seven feet, despite his mad rush.
And so the great game wound up, with the score four to one in favor of Chester. Doubtless, the most depressed member of the defeated Harmony team would be Hendrix, who had failed to baffle those batters with all his wonderful curves and trick drops.
On the way home after the game, with the Chester players occupying a big carryall, their joyous faces told every one along the way how they had fared, even if their shouts failed to announce their victory.
"This is a grand day in the history of Chester," said Jack for the tenth time, since he shared in the enthusiasm that seemed to run through every fellow's veins. "It will be written down as a red letter day by every boy, young and old; for we have put the old town on the baseball map for keeps. After this folks will speak of Chester teams with respect, for we've gallantly downed the champions of the county two to one, with a great tie thrown in for good measure. I want to thank every one of you for what you've done to help out--Phil, Herb, Joel, Toby, Big Bob, Fred, Steve, and last but far from least our peerless pitcher Alec Donohue. Not one of you but played your position to the limit; and as to batting, never this summer has Hendrix had the lacing he got today, so I was privately told by one of the Harmony fans whose money has been back of the team all summer."
"We'll make Rome howl tonight, boys, believe me!" asserted Big Bob. "Bonfires and red lights all over the town, while we march through the streets, and shout till we're hoarse as crows. The like never happened before in Chester, and it's only right the good folks should know we've made the place famous."
"What pleases me most of all," Jack went on to say, when he could find a chance to break into the lively talk, "is the bright prospect that looms up before us. This glorious baseball victory clinches matters. I know several gentlemen who will now be eager to back up our scheme for a club-house this winter, as well as a football eleven to compete for the county championship up to Thanksgiving. And during the balance of the summer I've got a lively programme laid out that ought to give the bunch of us a heap of pleasure, as well as profit us in the way of healthy exercise."