“Bring him in, Chip,” said Clancy.
For the second time, Merry faced his rival, and for the second time Green resorted to his wonderful spit ball. Once Chip fouled, and once struck in vain, then at the last instant he choked his bat and met the third ball for a bunt.
The slippery ball twisted along toward first, and Merry sped after it like a deer. Green went for it, but Chip beat out the throw, and Villum was safe with the first run for Fardale. Harker fanned, and the inning was ended.
“Well, that showed that they aren’t invulnerable, fellows,” said Merry cheerfully. “We’ll even up pretty soon!”
“You’re the only one of us who has a hit so far,” said Billy Mac.
“And that was a bad scratch,” chuckled Merry. “Well, go to it!”
Craven, the dangerous third baseman, was again up. He could not solve the double shoot, however, and Merrell and Runge went down, also. Merry had repeated Green’s feat of retiring the side with nine pitched balls.
As he walked in and met Billy, however, he shook his head doubtfully.
“I’m using that ball too much,” he said, in a low voice. “I don’t want to use the jump unless I have to, but I can’t throw the double shoot all the time, Billy.”
“Change arms, then.”