“That’s two of the five!” exclaimed Elrich, in satisfaction. “When three more are made I’ll have won one thousand dollars, anyhow.”
Croaker was a heavy hitter. Merry suspected it, and he tried his arts to pull the fellow, but three balls were called.
Davis had not attempted to steal, for he remembered the fate of the man ahead of him, and Merry held him close to the bag.
It seemed, however, that Frank was certain to give the next batter a base on balls. He was forced to put the ball over, which he did.
Mahoney, the captain of the team, had advised the batter to “play the game,” which prevented him from striking, although he afterward declared that the ball came sailing over the plate “as big as a house.”
A strike was called. Frank calmly put another in the same place, and it was another strike.
Croaker gripped his bat. The coachers warned Davis to run, as the batter would be out on the third strike, anyhow, if the first base was occupied.
So, as soon as Merriwell drew back his arm, Davis started hard for second. The ball was a swift high one, but Croaker met it and drove it out for a single that landed Davis on third.
“Here is where we score a hundred!” cried the coachers. “Oh, say! is this the wonder we have been hearing about?”
Hodge called Merry in, and said to him, in a low tone: