Still he did not try for a long hit. Instead of that, he shortened his hold on his bat and swung to meet the ball squarely, if he could.
He fouled the first one.
“Feeling of him, Bimm, my boy!” cried Wiley. “You’ll find him soft and easy. Swat her to the so’west corner of the inclosure and steer your course around the diamond.”
Bimm did his best, but, like the two before him, he fell a victim of Merriwell’s skill and struck out.
Hurley looked round for McGann as he started for the field. He was beginning to think that Merriwell would prove a hard nut to crack.
On the bleachers Wallace Grafter was smiling with satisfaction and his father was feeling decidedly better.
“What do you think about it now, dad?” asked the young man.
“Can he keep that up, son?” asked the politician.
“Of course he can’t!” wheezed Gowan. “Those men of ours are great batters, and they’ll fall on him hard before long. When they do, you’ll see him go up in the air.”