The local team had failed to secure a run in the eighth, after having everything in its favor. The crowd was keenly disappointed. Frank was relieved and his players were delighted. Now came the ninth inning. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXIX FRANK’S TURN AT THE BAT. “Vrankie, you vos a pird!” said Hans Dunnerwurst, as he waddled in to the bench. “I nefer expectorated you couldt pitch a pall by your lame ankle much; but you dooded der trick mit a greadt deal of satisfactoriness. Yah!” “I didn’t do it, Hans,” confessed Merry. “It was a case of good luck.” “Don’d let me toldt you dot!” exploded the Dutchman. “You don’d pelief me!” Frank had limped to the bench. “How is the ankle?” anxiously asked Morgan. “Oh, I think I’ll get through another inning with it.” “I’m sorry I was not able to stay in; but you see how much better you did.” “Which was luck, just as I told Hans.” “I can’t see it that way. You made Cross roll that weak one to you.” “Perhaps it looked that way,” said Merriwell; “but I want to whisper in your ear that I thought all the time that he was likely to lift out a two-bagger or something of the sort.” “You’re too modest, Merry.” “It’s not modesty, Dade; I’m simply telling you the truth. Let the rest of the boys think what they please.” “Let them get some runs this inning and we’ll carry off this game,” said Dade. “I feel it in my bones. All we need is one run. That will do the trick.” Browning was the first man up. The big fellow did not try for a long hit. He made an effort to drop the ball over the infield; but Rush covered ground swiftly and made a handsome catch. “Too bad, Bruce,” said Frank, as Browning returned to the bench. “With a poorer shortstop out there, you would have had a safe one.” “It’s rotten!” growled the big fellow, in disgust. “We want this game! We can’t lose it! We’ve got to have it! These fellows are too conceited. They call us kids! If we’re kids, I wonder where they can find their men!” “This game vill vin us,” asserted Dunnerwurst. “Id can’t lose us.” “Oh, go on!” blurted Bruce. “You’ll find it’s easy enough to lose this game. You think we can defeat anything, just because we’ve had good success thus far. I suppose you have an idea in your head that there are no teams in the country that can down us?” “Oh, I don’d know apout dot!” admitted Hans. “Some uf der big league teams mighdt us down; but der Chicagos dit not dood id in California.” Rattleton was the next man to face Wolfers. The local pitcher grinned a bit, for Harry had not even touched the ball during the game. Wolfers regarded Rattles with supreme contempt, which led him into carelessness, and the first thing he knew Harry cracked out a daisy cutter and capered down to the initial sack.