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game they could lose.
    David started to run toward the third-base coaching box when he heard Coach Beach yell at him.
    “David, bat for Legs! Let’s see you get a hit, kid! Start a rally.”
    David looked at the coach. Something cold gripped him. He didn’t move for a moment. He almost wished that Coach Beach wouldn’t
     ask him to go into the game. Legs was doing all right. Why not let him stay in?
    David walked to the bats lined up on the ground. He picked up his favorite one, put on a helmet and stepped to the plate.
    He was not only nervous as he waited for Rocky Stone to throw. He was frightened, too.

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    “ S TRIKE!” The ball was over the heart of the plate. David pursed his lips. He felt as if someone had kept him from swinging
     the bat.
    Rocky threw a couple outside, then put another one over the plate. David corked it. It was a long high fly to left field.
    He dropped the bat and raced for first. Just as he made the turn, the first-base coach, Herm Simmons, yelled for him to stop.
     The left fielder had caught the ball.
    Steve Pierce pinch-hit for Windy Hill. He did better than David. He singled on the secondpitch and went to second when the center fielder missed Brad Lodge’s fly. Chugger got a single that inning, too, but no Flicker
     went past third base.
    David caught a few warm-up grounders from Jimmy Merrill before the first Canaries’ batter stepped to the plate. The batter
     hit the first pitch down the third-base line, and David leaped after it. The ball struck the top of his glove, shot up into
     the air and dropped behind him. David picked it up and pulled his arm back to throw.
    “Hold it, Dave!” yelled Bonesy. “Hold it!”
    Angry with himself, David shook his head and tossed the ball to Brad. He ran back to his position, then realized that a bunt
     might be tried. He trotted forward until he stood on the grass.
    The pitch. The batter turned to bunt, and David charged in. It was a slow grounder just inside the third-base line. David
     ran as hard ashe could. He fielded the ball with both hands, pivoted on his right foot and whipped the ball underhand to first.
    A good throw! It was close!
    “Safe!” cried the umpire.
    David spun, saw that Bonesy was covering third, then took his time walking back. He played on the grass again. It was still
     a bunt situation.
    Again the Canaries bunted! This time the ball was hit too hard. David fielded it. He pegged to second. Out by a step!
    Jimmy didn’t try the play to first.
    “Nice play, David!” shouted Bonesy.
    One out. Men on first and third.
    A pop fly over Rex’s head. He caught it for the second out.
    The fans of both teams were shouting wildly now. The Flickers’ infielders were chattering like monkeys. It was a way to keep
     from thinking in these tense, anxious moments.
    Crack!
A hard grounder to David’s right side! He turned, then lunged after it for a backhanded catch. The ball brushed the tip of
     his glove and bounded to the outfield. A run scored. The hitter went to second.
    Now there were runners on second and third.
    Coach Beach called time. He left the dugout and talked a bit with Brad. David thought he would put in another pitcher, but
     he didn’t. The next batter popped up to first, and the sides retired.
    Score: Canaries 5; Flickers 3.
    “Hold them, Canaries!” shouted the Canaries’ fans. “Strike them out, Rocky!”
    Rex led off. He waited Rocky out and won a free ticket to first. Perhaps Rocky was afraid to pitch him anything good.
    Marty waited till Rocky put a strike over the plate, then belted a single over Rocky’s head. Bonesy socked a grounder to short.
     The shortstop fielded the ball nicely, fired it to secondand got Marty out. The second baseman whipped the ball to first. Bonesy, running as fast as his legs could go, made it by
     half a step.
    The Canaries booed the umpire, and for a moment the first baseman said a thing or two to him. The umpire said a thing or two
     back, and the first baseman shied