After nearly fifteen minutes of practise Frank called his team in. Barely had the men walked in to the bench, when out from the dressing-room came the other team. They were dressed in yellow uniforms, and they trotted straight out onto the field.
Then from the Yale crowd came another cheer. Frank Merriwell was, indeed, surprised.
“What’s this?” he gasped. “What have they sprung on us? Will you look at that crowd?”
“I will,” nodded Jack Ready. “But I’m nearly knocked stiff with the blow. There’s Gene Skelding on third!”
“Oliver Packard on second!” ejaculated Carson.
“Dud-dud-Dismal Jones in left field!” stammered Gamp.
“Barney Mulloy catching!” gasped Rattleton.
“Ephrum Gug-gug-gug-Gallup out in center!” said Gamp.
“And Dade Morgan for a pitcher!” muttered Hodge.
The Mysteries were made up of Frank Merriwell’s former comrades and college friends.
When he had recovered from his astonishment Merry began to laugh.
“This is a fine old joke!” he said. “It’s a put-up job! Now I begin to understand the meaning of that collection of Yale fans. This thing was cut and dried in advance. Well, there will be warm doings around here to-day.”
“And we propose to do your team, Mr. Merriwell,” said Jack Hazard, who had approached Frank. “These fellows know you, and they say you will be easy, as your team is not nearly as strong as ours.”
“It’s a good thing to have plenty of confidence,” he observed, “but I think I’ll take a turn at surprising somebody.”
The practise of the Mysteries was quite as sharp and snappy as that of Merriwell’s team had been, setting the crowd to speculating once more.
Morgan began to warm up to pitch, but Frank tossed a ball to Dick, saying:
“Loosen up your wing a trifle, Richard, while I flip with Mr. Hazard to see who starts the game.”
They drew aside, and Hazard spun a coin, which twinkled in the afternoon sunshine when it fell to the ground.
“Heads it is,” said Hazard. “Your choice.”
“Good! We’ll fall on you in the first inning hard enough to give you some worriment.”
Dick was throwing to Hodge, and Merry passed him on his way to speak to Mulloy and Morgan.
“Frankie, it’s a soight fer sore oies to see yez!” exclaimed Barney, who had grown stocky and muscular. “Oi’m glad to grasp yer fin again, me bhoy.”
