Uriah Blackington was again on the ground as manager of the home team, and his appearance in that capacity apparently gave satisfaction to the better element in the Rockford crowd.
“It’ll be a struggle of giants to-day—Garrett,” he laughed, approaching the manager of the island team and placing a hand on his shoulder. “The critical point in the race for the pennant has been reached. We’re compelled to take this game. Sorry for you, my boy.”
“Perhaps you’re wasting your sympathy,” returned Ray smilingly. “I see you have some new men on your team. Evidently you picked up the best men you could get off Hammerswell’s team which he released.”
“Yes, I mittened onto Torrey and Morrisey. Torrey is in my opinion the fastest third baseman in this league, and Morrisey is a great outfielder.”
“Those are not all your new men. I notice you have that Jersey City battery, Brodie and Kennedy.”
“Sure thing! Going to put them against you to-day. Hammerswell didn’t give those fellows a fair show. They are itching to demonstrate what they can do, and they’ll work for their very lives this afternoon. Really, Garrett, I don’t believe you have one chance in ten of taking this game. You know yourself that you’ve been lucky. Nothing but luck can explain the fact that a bunch of boys could keep up the pace in this league and make all the veterans hustle. Now don’t you believe yourself that it was luck more than anything else?”
“I do not, Mr. Blackington. It was brains, team work, and determination to win, combined with remarkable playing on the part of those boys. I confess that without Merriwell it is quite likely Fairhaven would not be in her present position. His spirit dominates his team. He rules those boys with a hand of iron hidden in a glove of velvet.”
Blackington laughed a little at this.
“I fail to see the hand of iron,” he declared. “That’s an excellent metaphor, Garrett, but I fancy it’s all imagination.”
Fairhaven now took the field for practice, which Dick made sharp and snappy, keeping every one, with the exception of Buckhart, on the move and on the qui vive the same as when playing in a game. Not more than ten minutes were spent in this practice. It began with a snap and ended with a snap, every player stopping and starting for the bench at a signal given by their captain.