Frank came up for the second box, trying a wide curve, which missed the head pin and swept down one side of the bunch. His second ball was sent straight down the middle of the alley, but it took a slight shoot just before hitting the pins and left two standing, one on the center and one on the corner. “Spares are scarce on this side,” he smiled, apparently not a bit disturbed. “Hard luck!” growled Browning. “No,” said Merry, “poor bowling.” Instead of trying to get just one of the two pins left, he used a curve to the right for a billiard-shot, hoping to make them both, but the head pin was missed by a fraction of an inch, and neither fell. “Eight pins,” cried Dashleigh. “Seventeen in all.” “Starbright is bound to have a big start,” said Badger. “In this kind of a game, every pin counts.” “Don’t forget this first ball counts on your spare, Dick,” warned Dashleigh. Dick did not forget. He whistled the ball down the alley, struck the pins prettily, and tore down six of them. “That gives him sixteen in his first box,” said Bert. “And he has a splendid chance for another spare.” Dick took the chance, too, for he got into the pins finely, cleaning the alley, which caused the spectators to utter cries of applause. “This is hot!” muttered Frank. “You seem to be keeping it up, old man.” “He’s making me lots of work,” observed Ready, as he deftly stood the fallen pins on the spot. Frank changed his position on the alley, but again he split the pins, leaving two standing, one on each corner. “No spare there!” cried Dashleigh. “No poor bowling in that,” growled Bruce. “It should have been a strike.” Frank clipped off the two remaining pins with two straight balls, which gave him ten in his third box, making twenty-seven in all. Starbright got into the bunch again, but secured only five on his spare, which left the pins in a difficult position. He did well in raking down nine with three balls; but his lead on Frank was great, the second spare having given him thirty-one in the second box, and on even rolls with Merry he had forty. “Up against the real thing now,” chirped Ready. “This Starbright has played the game before, my friends. You’re buncoed, Merriwell.” On his next roll Frank was able to make but nine pins, obtaining a total of thirty-six, while Starbright cleaned the alley, which gave him a lead of fourteen pins. Merry had been trying different kinds of balls and different positions on the alley, seeking to discover just where he could do his best work. Now he opened with a cross-ball, which struck the bunch on the quarter and swept them down clatteringly. A shout went up, for it was seen that but one pin remained standing, and that one was tottering and swaying. “Go down, you scoundrel!” roared Browning. But it refused to obey the command, settling into position. “Robbery!” declared Starbright. “You should have had it, Frank. All the same”—with a quick glance at Inza—“I’m very glad you didn’t get it.”