“Well, that was beastly luck!” he muttered.
“Pick off two of the corner ones, Merriwell, old man,” advised Barron Black, who was an interested spectator.
Dick paused a moment in consideration. He had once been able to get eight pins out of a similar break by hitting the head pin, although he knew the chances were ten to one that he could not score more than two, while the odds were decidedly against obtaining more than one in hitting them in that manner.
Nevertheless he decided to take chances and roll for all he could get. With this in his mind, he sent the third ball straight for the head pin. He gave it a twisting whirl as it left his hand, using great speed.
The head pin was struck and sent flying against the others. To the astonishment of Arlington and the surprise of every one, those pins flew in such a peculiar manner that all save one went down.
“Well, what do you think of that?” exclaimed Chet.
“I think it was great luck,” smiled Dick quietly, as he turned to sit down on the bench.
“Luck!” said Buckhart. “It was science. You hear me chirp!”
“Science!” sneered Arlington. “Why, it wouldn’t happen in a hundred times! Science, indeed!”
Gardner recorded the score on the board, the total giving Dick nineteen points and putting him two in the lead.