Well might the Elks and the Elkton crowd be confident and jubilant.
Things were coming their way.
The local team had played an uphill game, and victory seemed in sight.
Frank was in a tight box.
Tinker, the next batter, was no slouch with the stick. He had a reputation for making hits when they were badly needed.
Behind the wires of his mask, the face of Bart Hodge looked grim and a trifle worried.
Hodge knew now that Merry was in anything but good form. He realized that the game might go against them, and no one disliked to lose a game more than did Bart, the bulldog. Especially hard was it to lose after seeming to have victory within reach.
But Hodge did not have a thought of giving up.
“Line it out, Tink!” urged Rush. “We’ve quit fooling. Give us some runs.”
Tinker looked harmless enough. He was an awkward chap with a half-foolish face. Apparently he did not waste much of his time in thinking real thoughts.