There was now great excitement, for Tufts needed only one more run to tie the game.
“No fault of yours,” came once more from Merriwell.
“But they won’t support me, they won’t support me!” muttered Sam, in a disheartened manner.
The uproar was so great that Dick could not hear these words, although he read them plainly by the movement of Sam’s lips. Again he trotted out into the diamond, and once more the spectators fancied it was his intention to resume pitching.
“Don’t you quit, Kates,” was what he said. “If you do, they’ll never give you any backing. Pitch as if your life depended on it, but keep cool—keep cool and use your head.”
There was an audible groan as Dick was seen returning to first.
The next Tufts man batted a slow grounder at Tucker, who juggled the ball a moment and then made a disgustingly bad throw to first. Dick was forced to leave the sack and leap into the air to get the ball, and the hitter crossed the hassock in safety.
With no one out, Tufts’ prospects of tying the score were bright indeed.
“Look out for a bunt, Sam,” warned Dick, who believed the visitors would try to sacrifice.
The infielders crept in toward the plate, and poised themselves on their toes, every muscle taut.
The intention of the enemy had not been miscalculated. The bunt came, and the runner on first reached second while Kates got the ball and “killed” the batter at first.
But now a fine single properly placed would be almost sure to give the enemy the coveted run to make the score a tie.
More than that, the next hitter was one of the cleverest batsmen on the visiting team. Kates used all his art and skill on the man, but finally the fellow smashed the ball, driving it on a line toward right field.
Dick was playing ten or twelve feet into the diamond. He made an electrified leap, shot out his right hand, and pulled the liner down. The moment his feet touched the ground he was ready to throw to second, but he made sure that Claxton would get the ball. The runner on second had started for third, but he stopped and nearly broke himself in two in an effort to get back.
He was a second too late, and the double play put something of a dampener on Tufts’ elation.
Kates heaved a great sigh of relief, and something like a sickly smile of joy passed over his face.