“The spectators won’t,” said the gambler. “More than three-fourths of them are Merriwell men now.”
“Then,” said Morley, “I am afraid for the result.”
Well might he be afraid. In the last inning Frank was just as effective as ever, and the batters fell before him in a way that was perfectly heart-breaking to the admirers of the home team. Denver was unable to score in the ninth.
“We must shut them out again, boys,” said Mahoney, as his men took the field.
But Merriwell’s team went after that game in their half of the ninth. Carker was the first man up. He had not been hitting, and Park considered him easy. That was when Park made a mistake, for Greg set his teeth and laced out the first ball in a most terrific manner.
It was a clean two-bagger. But Carker tried to make it three, encouraged by Ready on the coaching-line. Ready believed in taking desperate chances to score, and he waved for Greg to come on.
The crowd was standing again, shouting wildly as Carker tore across second and started on a mad sprint to third.
The center-fielder got the ball and threw it to Mahoney at second. Mahoney whirled and shot it to third.
“Slide!” shrieked Ready.
Greg heard the command and obeyed, but Croaker took the ball and touched him easily.