The batter struck at it, but missed clean.
Plunk! the ball struck in Ready's hand.

Thud! it dropped to the ground.
But the bases were filled, and the batter was out, for all that Jack had not held the ball.

He recovered it so that there was no possibility for the man on third to get home.
Now two men were out, but the bags were filled, and a long, safe hit meant more scores for the visitors.

Fleetwood, the Hartford third-baseman, took his turn at the stick.

He was a good waiter, and he found just what he wanted, sending it safe over the short-stop, so that two more scores came in.
Badger was pale round the mouth when the next hitter stepped up to the plate.