Walbert had not warmed up, and what he had seen made him feel a trifle nervous. This was not like a practice game. It seemed to be a game for blood. The spectators realized that the fate of more than one player depended on their work in that game. Capt. Hardy was merciless, and he would not hesitate to lop off the head of any man he considered weak. He had no favorites, and he was fearless in the way he handled the team. His power was great, as he was manager, as well as captain. Rattleton followed Fales. He popped up an easy one to shortstop who got under it and dropped it purposely, trying to draw Fales off first to make a double. But Fales knew that trick, and he hugged the bag. Rattleton was out. Diamond came next. He hit a hot one straight at Walling, the third baseman, and it was gathered in, putting the side out. But at the end of the first inning, the score stood 2 to 0 in favor of the “scrubs.” “Now, I do hope they’ll get on to Merriwell,” muttered Sydney Gooch, who was looking very serious. “This is not the kind of fun I came out to see.” “Same here,” admitted Bink Stubbs. “But it can’t continue. Merriwell’s gang has had a streak.” The first man up for the regulars got a fine safe hit. Both Gooch and Stubbs brightened. “Ah! what did I tell you!” said Harris. “I knew it would come. Now, if the others will keep it up.” He did not know that Frank had given the batter a good one, hoping he would get a single. Frank wanted Hodge to have a chance to show his throwing. Merry was sure the runner would be sent down to second for a steal if he was given a show. He did not pretend to hold the fellow close to the bag, believing it a good plan to let him get a start, for it would make Bart’s throwing show up all the better if the man should be caught. Diamond knew what was coming, for he understood that Merry was working to show Bart up, and he hugged close to second. As Merry had anticipated, the batter made a false swing when the ball was pitched, hoping to bother Bart, while the runner scooted for second. Hodge gathered in the ball, and then, without stirring from his tracks, sent it shooting down toward second like a bullet. It was a low throw, and it seemed that it must strike the ground before it got to second; but there was force behind that ball, and it did not fall. “Slide! slide!” yelled the coachers. The runner slid. Diamond came in just right to take the ball about two feet from the ground, and then he “nailed” it on to the back of the sliding base-runner, catching him at least two feet from the bag. “Man is out,” announced the umpire. Frank laughed, and the spectators applauded. “Good boy, Hodge!” cried Danny Griswold, to the surprise of Frank. “That was a beautiful throw.” “Oh, those things will happen now and then,” sneered Ned Noon. “He might throw wild next time.”