It did rain thirty minutes. In fact, it rained an hour before stopping, and the umpire declared it no game. CHAPTER XVIII. CHARGE AND CONFESSION. Among themselves the Fardale boys confessed that the rain had come just in time to save them from defeat. Of course, many of them were confident they would have won out had it held off until nine innings were played. But had it delayed until the close of the fifth inning the score would have been five to two in favor of Fairport. “Talk about luck!” growled Don Roberts, as he accompanied Merriwell to the hotel after the rain had ceased. “You fellows certainly had it in that shower. Why, we had the game clinched!” “You had a five-inning game clinched,” confessed Dick. “You certainly worked hard, Roberts, old man, to play five innings before the rain fell.” “But, between you and me,” said Don, taking Dick’s arm, “we gained a lap on you through the bad playing of one man on your team. You know whom I mean.” “I don’t put it onto any one man,” retorted the Fardale captain. “The simple truth is that I was not pitching my game to-day.” Roberts laughed. “Our fellows were hitting well, Merriwell; but your shortstop made several bad breaks. The only thing he did during the game was to get that first two-bagger. And he spoiled it by trying to make three bases. I don’t know how it looked to you, but, by George! it actually seemed to me that he was trying to throw you fellows down.” Dick shook his head. “Darrell isn’t that kind of a chap,” he asserted. “He has always been loyal to Fardale, and there is no reason why he should wish to see us defeated.” “All right,” said Roberts. “You know best.” “I had to put him into the game to fill a gap. Our regular shortstop, Gardner, was taken ill.” “Well, take my advice, don’t fill any more gaps with Darrell. When are we going to play this game off? Of course, we will have to do it some time. We’re confident we can beat you this year, and we don’t want to let the chance slip.” “Why, I don’t know,” answered Dick. “Our dates are pretty well filled.” “Then you had better make a date,” grinned Don. “Of course, if you’re afraid——” “You know better!” retorted Dick quickly. “Let me run over the schedule. Let’s see!” Then Dick mentioned the games Fardale had to play, and Roberts confessed that for the rest of the season the cadets had their time pretty well taken up. “We might play you Wednesday,” said Merriwell. “Next Wednesday?” “Yes.” “But we have a game for Wednesday. It is not very important, but we have it arranged. We play a country team from Charlesford.” “I am afraid that’s the only time we can meet you. If you’re so very anxious to play us, isn’t it possible for you to cancel this engagement with Charlesford?” “Of course, we can do that,” admitted Roberts. “It won’t be much of a game, anyhow, for those fellows are not in our class. We made a date with them simply to fill in.”