his life; but he's got a trick that is just as good,
if he will try to work it."

"Getting hit by the ball? He is clever at that. Tell him to work the
dodge this time if he can. Get him onto first some way. We must have
some scores, if we steal them."

"I wish we might steal a few."

"If I get first and Blossom is ahead of me on second, let us try the
double steal. I may be caught at second or he may be caught at third,
and there is a bare possibility that we'll both make our bags. At any
rate, but one of us is liable to be caught, and if it is Blossom it will
leave us scarcely any worse off than before. If it is myself, why,
Blossom will be on third, we'll have one man out, and stand a good show
of scoring once at least."

Merriwell said this in a quiet manner, not at all as if he were trying
to dictate, and Putnam made no reply. However, he spoke to Blossom, who
was picking out his bat.

"Look here, Uncle," he said, "I want you to get first base in some way.
Do you understand?--in some way. If you can't make a hit or get it on
balls, get hit."

Blossom made a wry face.

"Coulter's got speed to burn," he said, "but I'll try to get hit if he
gives me an in, even though it kills me."

"That's what I want," returned Old Put, grimly. "Never mind if it does
kill you. We are after scores, and a life or two is of small
consequence."

"That's a pleasant way of looking at it," muttered Blossom as he
advanced to the plate. "Here goes nothing!"

The very first ball was an inshoot, and Blossom pretended to dodge and
slip. The ball took him in the side and keeled him over instantly. He
was given a little water, whereupon he got up and trotted down to first,
his hand clinging to his side, but grinning a bit in a sly way.

There was a brief discussion about giving Blossom a runner, but when one
was chosen who could not run as well as he could himself, he suddenly
found himself in condition to get along all right.

Merriwell took his place at the bat, having selected a bat that was a
trifle over regulation length, if anything.

Frank saw a hole in right field, and he hoped to be able to place a hit
right there. If he could do it, there was a chance for Blossom to get
around to third on a single.

Coulter knew nothing of Merriwell's batting, so he was forced to
experiment on the man. He tried a drop that almost hit the plate, but
Frank did not bite. Then Coulter sent over a high one, and still
Merriwell refused to sw