Frank Merriwell's Catch — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

aa . making fo: the lake, which showed blue in the distance. Round the bases sped the runuers, and _ .three scores came in before the ball was ovettaken and returned. It was a ‘‘homer’’ for Burton, and he had placed . Newport one score in the lead. The crowd cheered itself hoarse, and _ the boys from Pittsfield looked disgusted. The next batter sent up an easy one for the shortstop, and Newport was out. The M. C. L.’s camein growling. They were deterinined to win the game by hard batting in the ninth. ‘tGet onto Burton, fellows,’’ said the captain. ‘‘We must do it right here. We can if we try.’ They did try, but Burton was doing great work just about that time. He had won the game by his hit, and now he did rot propose to lose it by his work in the box. The bases filled up, however, with only one man out. A good hit meant two runs. Then came two decisions on a rattling double play, and Merriwell got both of them right by swift work. Both were de- clared out, and the game was over—New- port had won ! Some of the Institute men started to growl, but the captain cut them off sharply. ) ‘It was the best umpiring I ever saw!”’ he exclaimed, enthusiastically. ‘‘Mr. Merriwell, we owe you our thanks. You did a beautiful job, and I believe you inade this game one of the best ever played on this ground. ‘There were any amount of close decisions, and I think you had ali of them right. Newport beat us to-day, but I am not raising a growl.”’ He shook hands with Frank, and the Newport captain came up aud did the same, The pitchers of both teams stated that never before had they been so well satished concerning the rules ou balls and strikes. _ The Newport captain Proposed three cheers for the M. C. I.’s, which were given. Then he proposed three more for the umpire, and there was an almost universal response. ‘*Well,”’ said Hodge, coming up to Frank, “that was a better gaine than I expected to see here, but I know your “TIP TOP WHEEKLY. work had something to do with it. Poor umpiring would have set half those fel- lows kicking and ruined the game.” ‘It’s new work for me,’’ laughed Frank; ‘‘and Iam not particularly stuck on it. Now I’m hungry enough to eat anything. beans’. ”? | *“Yaw,’’ grunted Hans, waddling up, ‘‘T vos so hongry dot you can veel id at der bit uf my stomachs. Id vos awful ven you felt all gone ad der bit uf my stomachs,”’ ‘Where are Browning and Diamond ?”’ asked Frank. ‘*Don’t know,’’ answered Bart. ‘‘Think they must be taking in the dance. I reckon we’ll find them there.”’ ‘““Then we'll go down to the hall.”’ On their way, however, Browning was seen coming toward them hurriedly, much to the astonishment of all, ‘“He’s really hurrying!” Frank, ‘‘What does it mean?” “Something is up,’’ declared Hodge. ‘‘Something has gone wrong! Diamond isn’t with him.’ Bruce came up, breathing heavily. ‘Come on, fellows!’ he exclaimed. ‘*We are needed.”’ _ * Where??? asked Frank. ““Up the shore.” ‘““What’s the matter? trouble ?”’ “‘Not yet, but he is in the toughest sort of a crowd, and I knew I would have | no influence to get him out-of it. That’s why I came for vou, Merriwell. He will: do as you say.”’ Diamond in CHAPTER X. A ‘‘SKIN GAME.”’ ‘What sort of a crowd is Diamond in??? asked Merriwell, somewhat puzzled by the big Yale man’s words. ‘‘A poker gang.”’ “Oh! that’s it?” 6$VWeso ?? “‘How aid he get into it?” “Don’t know. Isaw him talking with two fellows, and then they walked away, and he went with them. Something made me follow them, and that’s the way I got onto it. You know there is nothing Jack had rather do than play poker.”’ “ Fightiag for the Hag. The Story of a Naval Combat,” by Enrique Hl. Lewis—No. 14 The Half-Holiday. I want some of those ‘army ; exclaimed | COMMUGIS NOOKS (C(0)