ard all
this. He could feel the blood within him getting warmer and warmer. He
considered Moslof a fine fellow and he admired Woods. His sympathy was
with Camden.

Moslof and Woods came down the street together and paused near Frank.
Woods was making no excuses.

"They hit me out, that's all," he said. "I want to pitch against them
again when this arm is rested."

Frank stepped forward.

"When do you play Rockland again, Moslof?" he asked.

"To-morrow," was the answer. "The schedule brings these two games
together."

"Who will pitch?"

"I don't know. Woods can't, Williamson is not in shape, I am afraid to
put Slatridge in, and Bascomb never was any good against Rockland,
although he is a good man against any other team."

"You wanted me to pitch to-day," said Frank.

"Yes."

"I might not have done any better than Woods. He is a dandy, and he can
monkey with Rockland when his arm is all right. I knew you ought to take
him out at the beginning of the third, and I told Diamond so. I could
see that his arm was keeping him working speed, and Rockland was eating
speed."

"That's right," nodded Woods. "It was the best I could do that inning.
No matter where I put them, they hit them out. I worked a change of
pace, but that did not seem to bother them. After that inning, however,
I kept them guessing."

"You pitched winning ball all through the game, with the exception of
that fatal inning, and it is probable those fellows would have hammered
anybody that inning. They had a batting streak, and they made the most
of it."

Then he suddenly turned to Moslof, asking:

"Do you want me to pitch for you to-morrow?"

Moslof gave a jump.

"Do I want you?" he exclaimed. "I should guess yes! Will you do it?"

"I will."

Moslof seized Merry's hand.

"Old man, you have won my everlasting gratitude. To-morrow we'll put a
team into the field that will paralyze Rockland. It will be such a team
as Rockland or the State of Maine never saw before! Will we do 'em? Oh,
say! We'll wipe 'em off the earth!"

"Oh, that's not certain," cautioned Frank. "You can't be sure of a
victory till it is won. Camden thought she had a sure thing to-day."

"It will be different to-morrow," said Moslof. "If you pitch a winning
game, the people of Camden will give you the whole town when we get back
here!"

"Well, I shall do my best to pitch winning ball," assured Merry.

Directly after supper, which all the boys except Hans took at t