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," returned Frank. "Some batting must be done, and there must be some score getting."
"You are right, and you are the second man up this inning. See what you can 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 five scores."
"Blossom bats ahead of me, does he? Well, he never got a hit when one was 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 the dodge this time if he can. Get him onto first some way. We must have some scores, if we steal them."
"If I get first and Blossom is ahead of me on second, let us try the double 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 any rate, but one of us is liable to be caught, and if it is Blossom it will leave 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 show of scoring once at least."
Merriwell said this in a quiet manner, not at all as if he were trying to dictate, and Putnam made no reply. However, he spoke to Blossom, who was 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 on balls, get hit."
"Coulter's got speed to burn," he said, "but I'll try to get hit if he gives me an in, even though it kills me."
"That's what I want," returned Old Put, grimly. "Never mind if it does kill you. We are after scores, and a life or two is of small consequence."
"That's a pleasant way of looking at it," muttered Blossom as he advanced to the plate. "Here goes nothing!"
The very first ball was an inshoot, and Blossom pretended to dodge and slip. The ball took him in the side and keeled him over instantly. He was 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.