“Roppery! roppery!” yelled the excited Dutch lad. “Dot vos a goot pase-hit, und he hat no pusiness to throw me oudt alretty!”
Dick Merriwell laughed. Dade Morgan tried to secure a pass to first, but found he could not do so, being compelled to hit. He drove the ball hard at Harry, who fancied he had it cold, but a bad bound caused Rattleton to fumble, which let Dade down to first by a second.
“Ah-ha!” cried Barney Mulloy. “Now we’re in th’ game! It’s too bad to do it, but it can’t be hilped. Crack it out, Packard, me bhoy!”
Dick began on Oliver with the jump ball, and Morgan’s second-baseman fanned twice at the first two. Then the young pitcher wasted two balls, after which he again used the jump ball, and Packard struck out.
“I’m sorry for you, Dade!” cried Jack Ready. “You’re anchored there.”
Thus far Mason had made two hits during the game, one of them being a two-bagger. Dick regarded Hock as dangerous, and yet he had considerable confidence in his backing. An in shoot deceived Hock, who batted the ball straight at Merriwell.
Frank gathered it up easily, tossing it over to Rattleton in time to catch Morgan on a force, which retired the final man of the Mysteries.
“Hold them down, Morgan,” said Packard, “and the game is ours.”
Morgan was determined to do everything in his power, and he succeeded in striking out Swiftwing, which was a good start.
Frank walked out with his bat. He knew the case was desperate, and he did not wish to lose the game. Yet Morgan had pitched splendidly.