The Princeton rooters were warming up.
They were doing their best to rattle Merriwell.
Frank did not believe in working for strike-outs, but he began to realize that the time had come when strike-outs counted. He trimmed the next batter’s whiskers with an in, he pulled him with an out, and he paralyzed him with a double-shoot.
“Three strikes—batter out,” decided the umpire.
“Got to do it twice more,” thought Merry, while Hodge nodded at him encouragingly.
He did. With astonishing ease, apparently, he made the next two men fan, and Princeton had not scored.
Yale held the lead.
As Frank came in to the bench, Hodge met him and said:
“It was beautiful work, Merry! It was grand! Keep it up. You must win this game in the box. The team can’t be trusted.”
“I will do my best,” said Frank, quietly.