then both the ice and the snow melted away as if by magic. Soon spring was at hand, and the early flowers began to show themselves in Mrs. Green's little garden, which was the housekeeper's one pride.
Dick had seen Dora once in that time. The girl had told him about how Josiah Crabtree had searched in vain for the college mentioned in the bogus letter.
"He said I played the trick," were Dora's words. "He wants mother to send me to some strict boarding school."
"And are you going?" had been Dick's question.
"No, I shall remain with mother. After she is married again I do not know what will become of me," and as Dora's eyes filled with tears Dick caught her hand.
"Don't worry, Dora," had been his words. "I will help you, and it is bound to come out right in the end."
As soon as summer was at hand, the Putnam Hall baseball club received a challenge from the Pornell club to play them a game at either school grounds.
"They want to square accounts for the football defeat," said Fred. "Well, the only thing to do is to accept the challenge," and the acceptance was sent without delay, the game to be played on the Putnam Hall grounds, Captain Putnam having promised the cadets his aid in building a grandstand. The lumber came out of a boathouse that had been torn down to make place for a new structure, and as many of the cadets took to carpentering naturally, the grandstand was quite a creditable affair.
Frank Harrington was captain and catcher for the Putnam Hall team. Tom was pitcher, while Larry played first base, Dick second, and Sam was down in center, to use those nimble legs of his should occasion require. Fred was short-stop, and the balance of the club was made up of the best players the school afforded.
The Saturday chosen for the game was an ideal one, clear and not too warm. The students from Pornell arrived early, and so did the other visitors, and by two o'clock the grounds were crowded.
As before a parade was had. Then the umpire came out and gave each team fifteen minutes for practice.
"We're in luck," said Dick, when Putnam Hall won the toss and took last innings. In a moment more they were in the field, and the umpire called out:
"Play!"
As was natural, Pornell had put its heaviest batters at the head of their list, and it is possible Tom was a bit nervous as he twirled the ball and sent it in toward the home plate.
"Ball one!" came the decision, and again the sphere came in. "Ball two!" said the umpire.
"Take it easy, Tom!" called out Dick. "Lots of time, remember."
The next was a strike. Then came a foul, and then a hard drive to left field, and amid a wild cheering the Pornell batsman gained second base in safety.
"That's the way to do it, Cornwall! Keep it up, Snader!"
The second player now came up, and again the ball came in. Tom was as nervous as before, and another hit was made, and the player covered first, while the man on second went to third.
"Tom, do be careful," whispered Frank, walking down to him. "Don't let that fellow in," and he nodded in the direction of the first runner.
The third player was now at the bat. Two balls and two strikes were counted against him and then came a foul, high up in the air, which Frank caught with ease.
"One out, and two on base!"
"That's not so bad."
Again the ball came in. "One strike!" said the umpire. "I want a high ball!" growled the batter. Again the ball was delivered. "Two strikes!" Then the ball came in again. "Three strikes! Batter out!" And Tom got a rousing cheer, for striking out the Pornellite.
But the two men were still on first and third, with one more man to put out. "Take care!" whispered Larry, and the basemen all moved up closer. One strike, and then came a high fly, far out in center field.
"Run, Sam! Don't miss that!" came in a yell. "Run! run!"
And Sam did run, knowing that if he missed the ball the Pornell team would score two runs, if not three. It was going far down the field, but he was after it, and just as it came down, he made a leap and clutched the sphere with his left hand.
"He has it! Hurrah! No runs this innings for Pornell!" And the Putnamites howled themselves hoarse, while their opponents had nothing to say.
But the players from the rival academy had a fine battery, and it was impossible to "get onto" their pitcher's curves during that first innings. The players went out in one, two, three order, leaving the score 0 to 0.
"It's going to be a close game," said an old player from Cedarville. "I'm not betting on either side."
The second innings passed without any scoring being done. In the third innings the Pornell team made two runs. In the next innings Putnam Hall pulled a single run "out of the fire," as Dick put it, for it was his tally, made on a slide halfway from third base.
After this there were more "goose eggs," until the end of the eighth innings when the score became a tie, 2 to 2.
One more innings for each side, and the excitement became intense.
"We must prevent them from scoring, by all means," said Frank as they took the field, while the first batter of the Pornellites came to the plate; and amid a breathless silence the final innings began.
CHAPTER XXVII
OFF FOR THE SUMMER ENCAMPMENT
The present situation was enough to make any pitcher nervous, and it must be confessed that Tom could scarcely control himself. "A wild pitch, and it's all up with our side," he thought, as he took his place in the "box."
"One ball!" That was the verdict as the sphere landed in Frank's hands. "Two balls!" came immediately after.
Frank paused, then rolled the ball to Tom. "Do be careful," whispered Dick. "Take your time."
"Perhaps we had better put Larry in the box," suggested another player, but Tom shook his head determinedly. "I'll stick it out!"
"One strike!" The batter had tried, but failed to hit the sphere. Tom felt more hopeful, but immediately after came three balls and then four balls, and amid a cheer from his friends the Pornell player walked to first base.
The second man at the bat went out on a foul, and the cadets cheered this time. Then came a strong hit to left field, and in came one run.
"Hurrah! 3 to 2 in Pornell's favor!"
"You've got 'em on the run now, boys; keep it up!"
Two balls, and the next batter knocked a hot liner to Fred. It came along like lightning, but Fred wore a "do-or-die" look and made a dive for it — and held on, although his hands stung as if scorched with fire.
"Hurrah! Two out! Now for the third, and then knock out that lead of one run!"
Alas! this was easier said than done. The next player gained first, and so did the youth to follow. Then came a heavy hit, and the score went up to 5 to 2. But that was the last of it, so far as Pornell was concerned.
"Now, Putnam Hall, see what you can do!"
Larry was at the bat, and cautious about striking. "One strike!" called the umpire, as the boy let a good ball go by. Another real strike followed, and then Larry caught the sphere fairly and squarely, drove it far into left field, and made a home run.
"A homer! Wasn't that great!"
"That makes the score 5 to 3. Keep it up, Putnam Hall!"
The home run was very encouraging, and now Dick came forward with his ashen stick. He had one strike called on him and then managed to make a clean one-base hit.
Another player, named Forwell, took stand next. The pitcher for