gger. I didn't s'pose he'd make it so large. Your
talk abaout betting has made me so all-fired disgusted with myself that
I jest want to jump off the earth."

"This is bad business--bad business," muttered Frank. "Give me all the
particulars, Gallup."

Ephraim did so.

When the Vermonter had finished, Merry drew a deep breath.

"You can't afford to lose that bet, Gallup," he said. "What are you
going to do with the money if you win?"

"Do with it? Dad birn it, I'll burn it up!"

"That would be still more foolish. If you lose, you will be down to bed
rock again."

"Yes, I'll be jest abaout the same as busted."

"Divvil a bit av it!" cried Barney Mulloy. "Gallup is me owld side
parthner. Av he loses, Oi'll divvy wid him."

"But he mustn't lose," said Frank. "Philanthropists in Wellsburg are
endeavoring to raise money to found a hospital for consumptives. There's
an ideal location some ten miles from Wellsburg. If you win, Gallup,
would you donate your winnings to the hospital fund?"

"Yeou bet I will!" cried Ephraim eagerly. "I'll give 'em every cent of
it!"

"That's good," nodded Frank. "Now, boys, we're going into this game to
win it. If we ever played ball in our lives, we're going to play it
to-day. I think and hope this experience will teach Gallup the folly of
betting. I shall use all the skill I possess in the game, and I want you
boys to back me up. We can't lose! We won't lose!"

Although his words were spoken in a quiet tone, they aroused something
in every listener that stirred his blood and caused it to leap in his
veins.

"That's right! that's right!" they cried. "We'll win to-day!"

"Come on," said Merry, "we'll go out now."

As he marched onto the field, with his friends and comrades following at
his heels, the great crowd rose and uttered a roar of welcome.

"Batting practice, fellows," said Frank. And they went at it at once.

Three minutes later the Rovers, in tigerish suits of yellow and black,
trotted out from their dressing rooms.

Back of the ropes near first base a tough-looking crowd of Wellsburgans
greeted the professionals with a cheer.

"Eat 'em up, McCann!" howled a husky fellow with a broken nose. "Take
some of the conceit outer this Merriwell to-day! He's been crowing over
Wellsburg long enough!"

Merry glanced around and saw Hunker, with several of his assistants,
gathering in the vicinity of this tough crowd.

"Bill is onto his job," muttered Frank. "If there's an