“Now we’ll hold ’em! Now we’ll hold ’em!” cried Rattleton, from second.
“Talk about your stars!” exclaimed Ready. “I saw a few that time!”
“They won’t get another hit, Merry,” assured Carson, who was playing short.
“Put ’em right over,” advised Browning.
“All a dud-dud-dinged accident!” asserted Gamp, from distant center garden.
Swiftwing and Carker were the only silent ones behind Merry, for even Hodge grimly asserted that it was all right.
Then Merriwell resolved to use the double-shoot, if it broke his wrist. Bart called for an out curve as Dorrity stepped up to the plate; but Merry assumed a position that told everybody on the team he meant to use the famous reverse curve, which he alone could command and control.
Bart knew Merry was desperate, for Frank had told him he would not resort to that extreme in the game.
Dorrity was cool enough, but the first ball seemed just what he desired, and he bit at it. The reverse curve fooled him nicely, and he did not touch the ball.
“One strike!” declared the umpire.