CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GAME GROWS HOTTER.
By the noise the Yale crowd made one might have fancied the game wastheirs beyond a doubt.
"Poor fellows!" said one languid Harvardite to an equally languidcompanion. "It's the only chawnce they have had to cheer. Do let themmake a little noise."
"Yas," said his companion, "do. It isn't at all likely they will getanother opportunity during this game."
There were cheers for Merriwell, but Frank walked to the bench and puton his sweater as if utterly unconscious of the excitement he hadcreated. His unconcerned manner won fresh admiration for him.
Old Put congratulated Frank as soon as the bench was reached.
"That was great work, Merriwell. Keep it up! Keep it up!"
"That kind of work will not win the game as the score stands," returnedFrank. "Some batting must be done, and there must be some scoregetting."
"You are right, and you are the second man up this inning. See what youcan do."
"If I had known I came so soon I wouldn't have put on my sweater."
"Keep it on. You must not get chilly. We can't tell what may happen.Harder games than this have been pulled out. They lead us but fivescores."
"Blossom bats ahead of me, does he? Well, he never got a hit when onewas wanted in all his life; but he's got a trick that is just as good,if he will try to work it."
"Getting hit by the ball? He is clever at that. Tell him to work thedodge this time if he can. Get him onto first some way. We must havesome scores, if we steal them."
"I wish we might steal a few."
"If I get first and Blossom is ahead of me on second, let us try thedouble steal. I may be caught at second or he may be caught at third,and there is a bare possibility that we'll both make our bags. At anyrate, but one of us is liable to be caught, and if it is Blossom it willleave us scarcely any worse off than before. If it is myself, why,Blossom will be on third, we'll have one man out, and stand a good showof scoring once at least."
Merriwell said this in a quiet manner, not at all as if he were tryingto dictate, and Putnam made no reply. However, he spoke to Blossom, whowas picking out his bat.
"Look here, Uncle," he said, "I want you to get first base in some way.Do you understand?--in some way. If you can't make a hit or get it onballs, get hit."
Blossom made a wry face.
"Coulter's got speed to burn," he said, "but I'll try to get hit if hegives me an in, even though it kills me."
"That's what I want," returned Old Put, grimly. "Never mind if it doeskill you. We are after scores, and a life or two is of smallconsequence."
"That's a pleasant way of looking at it," muttered Blossom as headvanced to the plate. "Here goes nothing!"
The very first ball was an inshoot, and Blossom pretended to dodge andslip. The ball took him in the side and keeled him over instantly. Hewas given a little water, whereupon he got up and trotted down to first,his hand clinging to his side, but grinning a bit in a sly way.
There was a brief discussion about giving Blossom a runner, but when onewas chosen who could not run as well as he could himself, he suddenlyfound himself in condition to get along all right.
Merriwell took his place at the bat, having selected a bat that was atrifle over regulation length, if anything.
Frank saw a hole in right field, and he hoped to be able to place a hitright there. If he could do it, there was a chance for Blossom to getaround to third on a single.
Coulter knew nothing of Merriwell's batting, so he was forced toexperiment on the man. He tried a drop that almost hit the plate, butFrank did not bite. Then Coulter sent over a high one, and stillMerriwell refused to swing, and two balls had been called.
Coulter had a trick of holding a man close on first, and so Blossom hadnot obtained lead enough to attempt to steal second.
Frank felt that Coulter would make an attempt to get the next one overthe outside or inside corner of the plate, as it would not do to havethree balls in succession called without a single strike.
Merriwell was right. Coulter sent one over the inside corner, using astraight ball. Still Merriwell did not offer at it, for he could nothave placed it in the right field if he had tried.
"One strike!" called the umpire.
Although he seemed quite unconcerned, Sport Harris had been nettled whenRattleton won the ten-dollar bet, and he now said:
"I will go you even money, Rattleton, that Merriwell does not get ahit. If he goes down on four balls the bet is off."
"I'll stand you," nodded Harry, laughingly. "Why, Harris, I neverdreamed you were such an easy mark! Merriwell is bound to get a hit."
"Ha! ha!" mocked Harris. "Is that so? And he just let a good one passwithout wiggling his bat!"
"It wasn't where he wanted it."
"And Coulter will not give him one where he wants it."
"Coulter doesn't know anything about Merriwell's batting, and so he isliable to make a break at any moment."
This proved right, for Coulter tried to fool Frank with an outcurve onthe next delivery. He started the ball exactly as he had the one beforeit, to all appearances as if he meant to send another straight one overthe inside corner. He believed Merriwell would bite at it, and he wasright.
But right there Coulter received a shock, for Merriwell leaned forwardas he swung, assuming such a position that the ball must have hit him ifit had been a straight one. It had a sharp, wide curve, and passed atleast ten inches beyond the plate.
Passed? Not much! Merriwell hit it, and sent a "daisy cutter" down intoright field, exactly where he wished to place it.
Down on the coach line near first little Danny Griswold hadconvulsions. He whooped like a wild Indian.
"Spring, ye snails! Tear up the dust, ye sons of Eli! Two--make it two,Blos, old boy! Why, this game is easy now! We've just got started!Whoop! Whoopee!"
In going over second Blossom tripped and fell heavily. When he scrambledto his feet he was somewhat dazed, and it was too late for him to tryfor third. He saw Halliday down by third motioning wildly for him to getback and hold second, but there was such a roar of voices that he couldnot hear a word the coachers were saying. However, the signals wereenough, and he got back.
Now the "Sons of Eli" were all on their feet, and they were making theair quiver. It was enough to inspire any man to do or die, and it isdoubtful if there was not a man on the Yale team who did not feel atthat moment that he was willing to lay down his life, if necessary, towin that game.
When the shouting had subsided in a measure, Rattleton was heard toshout from his perch on the shoulders of a companion, to which positionhe had shinned in his excitement:
"Right here is where we trick our little do, gentlemen--er--I mean we doour little trick. Ready to the air of 'Oh, Give Us a Drink, Bartender.'Let her go!"
Then the Yale crowd broke into an original song, the words of whichwere:
"Oh, hammer it out, Old Eli, Old Eli, As you always have, you know; For it's sure that we're all behind you, behind you, And we will cheer you as you go. We're in the game to stay, my lads, my lads, We will win it easily, too; So give three cheers for old 'Umpty-eight-- Three cheers for the boys in blue! Breka Co ax, Co ax, Co ax! Breka Co ax, Co ax, Co ax! O--up! O--up! Parabaloo-- Yale! Yale! Yale! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! Yale!"
The enthusiasm which this created was immense, and the next man walkedup to the plate filled with determination. However, Old Put was shrewdenough to know the man might be too eager, and so he gave the signal forhim to take one anyway.
Coulter was decidedly nervous, as was apparent to everybody, and itseemed that there was a chance of getting him badly rattled. That wasexactly what the Yale crowd was doing its best to accomplish.
Merriwell crept away from first for a long lead, but it was not easy toget, as Coulter drove him back with sharp throws each time. Then Blossomcame near be
ing caught napping off second, but was given "safe" on aclose decision.
Suddenly Coulter delivered, and the batter obeyed Old Put and did notoffer, although it was right over the heart of the plate.
"One strike!" was called.
Now came the time for the attempted double steal that Frank hadsuggested. Putnam decided to try it on, and he signaled for it. At thesame time he signaled the batter to make a swing to bother the catcher,but not to touch the ball.
Frank pretended to cling close to first, but he was watching forCoulter's slightest preliminary motion in the way of delivery. It came,and Old Put yelled from the coach line, where he had replaced Griswold:
"Gear!"
Frank got a beautiful start, and Blossom made a break for third. IfBlossom had secured a lead equal to Merriwell's he would have made thirdeasily. As it was, the catcher snapped the ball down with a short-armthrow, and Blossom was caught by a foot.
Then it was Harvard's turn, and the Cambridge lads made the most of it.A great roar went up, and the crimson seemed to be flutteringeverywhere.
"Har-vard! Har-vard! Har-vard! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! 'Rah! 'rah! 'rah! 'Rah!'rah! 'rah! Harvard!"
One strike and one ball had been called on the batter, and Merriwellwas on second, with one man out. Yale was still longing vainly forscores. It began to look as if they would still be held down, andCoulter was regaining his confidence.
Frank was aware that something sensational must be done to keep Coulteron the string. He longed for an opportunity to steal third, but knew hewould receive a severe call down from Old Put if he failed. Still he wasready to try if he found the opportunity.
Frank took all the lead he could secure, going up with the shortstopevery time the second baseman played off to fill the right field gap. Hewas so lively on his feet that he could go back ahead of the basemanevery time, and Coulter gave up trying to catch him after two attempts.
Frank took all the ground he could, and seeing the next ball was anoutdrop he legged it for third.
"Slide! slide! slide!" howled the astonished Halliday, who was still onthe coach line at third.
Frank obeyed, and he went over the ground as if he had been greased forthe occasion. He made the steal with safety, having a second to spare.
Rattleton lost his breath yelling, and the entire Yale crowd howled asone man. The excitement was at fever pitch.
Bob Collingwood was gasping for breath, and he caught hold of PaulPierson, shouting in his ear:
"What do you think of that?"
"Think of it?" returned Pierson. "It was a reckless piece of work, andMerriwell would have got fits if he'd failed."
"But he didn't fail."
"No; that lets him out. He is working to rattle Coulter, but he tookdesperate chances. I don't know but it's the only way to win this game."
"Of course it is."
"Merriwell is a wonderful runner. I found that out last fall, when Imade up as Professor Grant and attempted to relieve him of a turkey hehad captured somewhere out in the country. I blocked his road at thestart, but he slugged me with the turk and then skipped. I got afterhim, and you know I can run some. Thought I was going to run him downeasily or make him drop the bird; but I didn't do either and he gotaway. Oh, he is a sprinter, and it is plain he knows how to steal bases.I believe he is the best base runner on the freshman team, if he is nottoo reckless."
"He is a dandy!" exclaimed Collingwood. "I have thought the fellow wasgiven too much credit, but I've changed my mind. Pierson, I believe heis swift enough for the regular team. What do you think of it?"
"I want to see more of his work before I express myself."
Merriwell's steal had indeed rattled Coulter, who became so nervous thathe sent the batter down to first on four balls.
Then, with the first ball delivered to the next man up, the fellow onfirst struck out for second.
Merriwell was playing off third, and pretended to make a break for homeas the catcher made a short throw to the shortstop, who ran in behindCoulter, took the ball and lined it back to the plate.
But Frank had whirled about and returned to third, so the play waswasted, and the runner reached second safely.
Then there was more Yale enthusiasm, and Coulter was so broken up thathe gave little Danny Griswold a shoulder ball right over the heart ofthe plate.
Griswold "ate" high balls, as the Harvard pitcher very well knew. He didnot fail to make connection with this one, and drove it to deep left fortwo bags, bringing in two runs.