Then came the critical moment, for the next ball pitched would settle the matter.  Frank sent in a rise and the batter struck at it, missed it, and was declared out, the ball having landed with a “plunk” in the hands of the catcher.

The next batter got first on a single, but the third man sent an easy one to Frank, who gathered it in, threw the runner out at second, and the second baseman sent the ball to first in time to retire the side on a double play.

“You are all right, Merriwell, old man,” enthusiastically declared Heffiner, as Frank came in to the bench.  “They haven’t been able to score off you yet, and they won’t be able to touch you at all after you get into gear.”

Pierson was relieved, and Costigan looked well satisfied.

“Now we must have some scores, boys,” said the captain.

But Yedding showed that he was out for blood, for he allowed but one safe hit, and again retired Yale without a score.

Surely it was a hot game, and excitement was running high.  Would Harvard be able to score the next time?  That was the question everybody was asking.

Yedding came to the bat in this inning, and Merriwell struck him out with ease, while not another man got a safe hit, although one got first on the shortstop’s error.

The Yale crowd cheered like Indians when Harvard was shut out for the third time, the freshmen seeming to yell louder than all the others.  They originated a cry which was like this: 

“He is doing very well!  Who?  Why, Merriwell!”

Merriwell was the first man up, and Yedding did his best to get square by striking the freshman out.  In this he was successful, much to his satisfaction.

But no man got a hit, and the third inning ended as had the others, neither side having made a run.

The fourth opened in breathless suspense, but it was quickly over, neither side getting a man beyond second.

It did not seem possible that this thing could continue much longer, but the fifth inning brought the same result, although Yale succeeded in getting a man to third with only one out.  An attempt to sacrifice him home failed, and a double play was made, retiring the side.

Harvard opened the sixth by batting a ball straight at Yale’s shortstop, who played tag with it, chasing it around his feet long enough to allow the batter to reach first.  It was not a hit, but an error for short.

This seemed to break the Yale team up somewhat.  The runner tried for second on the first ball pitched, and Yale’s catcher overthrew, although he had plenty of time to catch the man.  The runner kept on to third and got it on a slide.

Now Harvard rejoiced.  Although he had not obtained a hit, the man had reached third on two errors, and there was every prospect of scoring.

Merriwell did not seem to lose his temper or his coolness.  He took plenty of time to let everybody get quieted down, and then he quickly struck out the next man.  The third man, however, managed to hit the ball fairly and knocked a fly into left field.  It was gathered in easily, but the man on third held the bag till the fly was caught and made a desperate dash for home.