“I think it’s back in shape,” was the answer. “This fog to-day was rather bad for it, but I have it protected. I am caring for it as if it were a baby. Never bothered about my arm before, but this climate is too much for it. I am going to let it out to-morrow, if I never pitch another game. Your brother sent me down here to help you win the pennant, and I should hate to have him hear that you had lost it through my weakness on the slab in the last game I pitched for you.”
“I wish Frank could be here to see those games!” exclaimed Bart Hodge. “I know he wanted to. If you can win out, Dick, we’ll wire him a cheerful message to-morrow night.”
“We’re going to win if it’s in us to do so,” asserted young Merriwell. “If we can tie with Rockford for first place, we will fight it out by playing an extra game to decide things.”
“Oh, my!” said Ted Smart, “what a calm, quiet sort of a game that would be! I don’t believe any one would come out to see it! We’d have to play to empty benches!”
“There will be no empty benches to-morrow,” said Dick. “Let’s roll in now and get plenty of sleep.”
The Fairhaven team retired that night earlier than any previous night during the season.
CHAPTER XIX
WHY ARLINGTON CAME.
Early the following morning, as the lobstermen were rowing off to their traps, a little naphtha launch came down the channel, rounded Crown Point, and entered Fairhaven harbor.
The boat contained two persons. One seemed to be a passenger, and he was recognized by Brick McLane, who was rowing out of the harbor in his big dory.