Starbright had asked to go into the box against Princeton again. Hard work and considerable worry was telling on Merriwell, so that he was not in his best form, while the big freshman felt fit to pitch against National League champions.
Morgan longed, also, to try his hand against the Princeton nine, but Merry could not spare Dade from the position he was filling in such splendid style. For Morgan had turned out to be one of the cleverest short-stops seen at Yale for several years. He could cover a vast amount of ground, could pick up grounders cleanly, could gather in liners and flies, and his throwing across to first delighted the spectators.
To tell the truth, Dade’s pitching aspirations had never seemed to please the fans at Yale, but he soon won a way into their hearts after Merriwell placed him at short. This placing came about by accident. One night during practise Morgan got out at short, the regular man being gone, and the way he got around amazed everybody. Frank tried him there in the very next game, and Dade remained there after that.
This cut the regular pitching-stock down a head. Of course, Dade could be used in the box if necessary, but Merriwell believed in keeping the team unchanged and in position just as far as possible, it having been his experience that shifting men about was extremely bad policy.
As this was the deciding game between the colleges, Princeton turned out as large a crowd of rooters as did Yale. The bleachers on one side of the field were packed with the admirers of the orange and black, while the other side fluttered blue with Yale flags.
It was two-thirty when the Princeton players trotted onto the field, being given a royal greeting by their admirers.
At once the men prepared for practise.
The Tigers began to sing a stirring battle song, and the men to work on the field with snap and earnestness.
This practise work was watched closely by both sides. It was plain that Princeton was in her very best form, and her players had come out to win.