here was not the slightest quiver of his
nerves. His eyes were clear, and his face wore a look of confidence as
he watched Bender prepare to deliver the ball.

The pitcher started the ball wide, but, with a sudden break it took an
inshoot across the plate.

Gallup knew he was going to hit the ball when he swung at it. He hit it
fairly and squarely with all the strength and skill that he possessed.
It brought a wild roar from the crowd as the ball went sailing out on a
line about fifteen feet from the ground.

Apparently Grifford would have little trouble in catching the ball. He
changed his position a foot or two and prepared to take it. Just before
it reached him he made a sudden backward move and then leaped
desperately into the air, thrusting up his hand.

Instead of dropping, as Grifford had expected, the ball held up in a
marvelous manner and passed fully two feet beyond his reach as he made
that leap. It finally touched the ground and went bounding away, with
Grifford rushing after it as fast as he could race over the turf.

The white chalk of the base lines seemed to spin out beneath Gallup's
feet like a thread as he literally flew over the ground. He heard a
sound like the roaring of many waters. It was the joyous shouting of the
great crowd as Merriwell crossed the plate and Diamond came speeding in
from third.

Gallup did not realize that these two runs put the Merries in the lead.
He was determined to score if possible. As he came up from second he saw
Hans Dunnerwurst dancing like a clown and furiously waving his arms,
while he yelled:

"Ephie, you vos a tandy! Ephie, you vos a peach! Ephie, I luf you! Dot
score vill git you, und don'd nobody forgit him! Mine cootness, dot vos
der most peautiful home run you efer saw in my life!"

A homer it was, for Gallup reached the pan ahead of the ball, which
Grifford had returned to the diamond.

Frank seized Ephraim by the hand as he came over the plate. The rest of
the team rushed at the Vermonter, hammering him joyously over the head
and shoulders, much to the agitation of Teresa, who feared her husband
had done some terrible thing and that his friends were beating him on
that account.

Bender looked sick and weary as Carson seized a bat and rushed out to
the plate. The pitcher delivered an easy one, which Berlin drove into
left field. Roach took the ball on the run, and this made the third out.

Casper Silence was like a caged tiger as the Rovers gathe