It was a clean single, but Frank took a desperate chance of making second. The fielder saw what Frank was trying to do, and made a poor throw in his haste to catch Merry. Frank slid and went under the hand of the baseman, who tried to reach him with the ball.
“Safe!” said the umpire.
“Wasn’t it pretty?” cried Jack Ready, as he pranced down to third. “Why, he’s the only fellow on the ground who could make a two-bagger out of that dink hit! Come on, Merry, old bird! get your wings into gear and cover space!”
Nesbitt was purple with rage. The great crowd was shouting its approval of Merriwell’s work, and the excitement seemed intense.
Rattleton was nervous, for he had not yet recovered from his original conviction that the professionals outclassed Frank’s team, and he felt himself shivering a little when he advanced to the plate to strike.
Nesbitt resorted to his speediest ball, sending it over high.
Frank took lots of ground on the pitch, and Bowers failed to hold the ball, which gave Merry a chance to try for third.
Never in his life had Frank made better speed than he did on that effort to steal, knowing that the ball had not gone far from the reach of the catcher.
Bowers got the ball quickly, and lined it down to third. Again Merry slid, and again he went under the hand that reached for him with the ball in its grasp.