Free The Dog That Stole Home by Matt Christopher Page A

into the house.
    “Grounded,” Harry huffed. “I might as well be put into solitary confinement.” He looked up at Mike’s worried face. “Sorry,
     pal. Guess I should have let the big bully have the ball.”
    Mike sighed as he opened the gate to the backyard. What was he going to do without Harry’s support tomorrow?

    The game against the Robin Hood Arrows started at four o’clock the next day. The Arrows were up first. Mike, playing second
     base, kept glancing at the spot by the Giants’ dugout where Harry usually lay. The spot looked very empty.
    The Arrows got off to a flying start. The lead-off batter, Robbie McAllister, laced a double. Then the Giants’ pitcher gave
     up a walk and a single to put the Arrows on the scoreboard before the first out was made. A blooping fly over second base—just
     over Mike’s head—added a second run to the first.
    Rats! thought Mike. I bet I would have had that one if Harry’d been here. He pounded his fist into his glove.

    The next Arrow batter struck out, but another double put them up to three runs before a fly ball ended the first half of the
     inning.
    The Giants came to bat, and it was one, two, three. Just like that.
    The Arrows batted again, and again the lead-off batter belted a solid double. The Giants’ pitcher, Omar Petri, looked a little
     shaken and gave up two walks in a row. Arrows 4, Giants 0.
    Mike heard the first baseman grumble. At least I had Harry’s support when I played pitcher, Mike thought.
    Out loud, he yelled, “C’mon Omar! Strike out this next guy!”
    As if Mike’s words had given him just the help he’d needed, Omar fired three sizzlers in a row for the first out. Two fly
     balls added the last two outs, and the Giants were back up to bat.

    Omar led off with a double to right field. While Mike warmed up on deck, the second batter, Monk Solomon, took four balls
     for a walk.
    Now’s my chance to make up for that missed catch, Mike thought as he approached the plate.

    The first pitch came in just at waist level, and Mike swung hard. A solid hit down the first base line! Dropping the bat,
     Mike took off. The Arrows’ first baseman, Jim Morrow, rushed forward and scooped up the ball. Mike put on a burst of speed,
     but Jim beat him to the bag. Mike was out.
    A strikeout and a pop-up ended the inning.
    The Arrows could do nothing in the third. But the Giants, at their turn at bat, made a turnaround and came up with two runs.
    The fourth and fifth innings went scoreless for both teams.
    The Arrows didn’t add to their 4–2 lead in the top of the sixth, either. The Giants, on the other hand, earned two runs to
     tie up the game before the inning ended.
    That’s more like it! Mike thought excitedly. Too bad you’re missing this one, Harry. It’s a humdinger.
    As Mike got his glove and ran onto the field, a familiar voice entered his mind.

    “It sure is,” it said.
    Mike’s heart jumped. There, in his usual spot, tail snapping back and forth, was Harry!
    “Hey! How’d you get here?” Mike cried.

    Harry grinned. “You’ll never guess/’ he said and pointed his nose toward the stands.
    Mike glanced up and saw his mother watching him with a smile.
    A call from a teammate reminded Mike the inning was about to start. “What changed her mind?” he asked Harry as he ran toward
     second base.
    “I’ll explain later. Just get out there and play some heads-up ball!” replied Harry.
    The Arrows threatened to break the 4–4 tie at the top of the seventh. Their first batter nailed a single and Omar walked the
     second. A fly out held the two runners at first and second, but then the Arrows’ strongest batter, Robbie McAllister, came
     to bat.
    “Get ready, pal,” Harry said. “He looks like he means business!”
    Mike crouched down low. Omar studied the batter for a second and then fired.
    Crack!

    Robbie connected for a line drive that just missed the top of Omar’s glove. The Giants’ shortstop, Rich Gates, snared it