Frank Merriwell's Athletes Part 41

"Yaw," nodded Hans, who still kept near her; "I peen feexed dot vay yourself. Der race vas on der pum. You agree mit yourself about dot exactly."

"Don't bother to agree with me about anything!" came stiffly from the spinster. "I don't care to have you agree with me."

"Oh, you don'd! Vell, you reminds me uf a feller vot I knowed vonce on a time. He vas alvays disagreeing mit eferydings. He wouldn't eat anyding vot he thought might agree mit him, und so he died der disbepsia of. You vant to look out for dot."

With this shot Hans edged away, not liking the glare Miss Abigail gave him.

"You pet me my life she don'd got der pest uf me all der times!" he chuckled.

While the religious race was taking place, Swiftwing suddenly appeared at Frank's side.

"If you wish to play ball," he said, "you may have a chance. Bring your friends. Come."

Frank spoke to the boys, all of whom, with the exception of Browning, were eager for the sport.

Bruce grumbled a little, but followed Frank.

Swiftwing led them away, but he had found time to speak a word in Inza Burrage's ear, and Frank had noted this.

Merry saw Inza start a little and then shake her head, while her face grew pale and she pressed nearer to her aunt.

"I wonder what the fellow said to her," thought Frank, who was far from pleased. "She would not tell me if I asked her, so I'll have to continue to wonder."

The young Indian led the boys to a place not far from the bower, but beyond the crowd of spectators.

"The ball game will be for sport," he said, "and, as you do not know just how Indians play ball, I have decided that you shall be divided.

Four of you will play on one side, and five on the other. The rest of the players will be Indians, and there will be twenty on a side. They are preparing now. Get ready, for the game will begin right after the race."

So, with much joking among themselves, the boys pulled off their sweaters and prepared for the race.

Swiftwing gave their superfluous clothes into the care of an old man, who was told to watch carefully that no Mexicans or Apaches stole anything from him.

Then Swiftwing showed the boys the b.a.l.l.s and the bats, which were like old-fashioned "shinny" sticks, and explained to them how the game was to be played.

This done, the Indian youth left Frank to divide his party, and hurried away.

Within three minutes a great shouting announced that the religious race was over, and one of the buildings had won over the other.

Barely had this shouting ceased when, with yells like wild animals, thirty-one young bucks, stripped to the breechcloth, came from somewhere and rushed upon the white boys.

Hans gave a gurgle of fear and rolled over in a sudden attempt to take flight.

"Here vas where you lose mein scalp!" he gurgled.

Toots was scared, and his teeth chattered.

"Oh, Lordy!" he gasped. "Mah wool am gone dis time fo' suah! I done knowed I'd nebber keep dis wool on mah haid till I got back home!"

Barney Mulloy squared off, his hands clinched and his eyes flashing.

"Come on, ye spalpanes!" he grated. "It's a roight tough bit av a shc.r.a.p we'll be afther havin', me laddy-bucks!"

"Gug-gug-good gosh!" stammered Ephraim Gallup, his face turning pale and his knees knocking together. "We're ketched in a trap, by gum! I wish I was to hum on the farm!"

"What's the meaning of this, Merriwell?" cried Jack Diamond, clutching Frank's arm with a strong grip. "Are we in for scalping-or what?"

"It's all right," a.s.sured Merriwell. "That's their way of attracting the attention of the crowd and informing them that the ball game is about to begin."

"Is that all?" gurgled Ephraim, in great relief, seeing the young Indians gather about but observing they did not offer hostilities. "Wal, darned if I ain't afraid I'll never be able to comb my hair ag'in! It feels as if it was stickin' up stiffer than quills on the back of a hedgehoag."

The shout from the young bucks had attracted the attention of the spectators and they were rushing toward the spot.

A hand touched Frank's arm.

"Come," said the voice of John Swiftwing. "A place for us to play will be prepared."

John was one of the young bucks. He had cast aside the clothes of civilization, and, like the others, he was stripped to the breechcloth.

His physique was magnificent, and Frank regarded him with admiration.

Such broad shoulders, such a deep chest, such hard and muscular limbs were not common among the Pueblos.

In Swiftwing's hair eagle feathers had been fastened, and it seemed that, with his clothes, he had cast aside all the refining changes of civilization.

He was a savage again!

His eyes were flashing, and his head was poised proudly on his strong neck. The players looked to him as a leader, and they followed him to the cleared s.p.a.ce where the ball game was to take place.

Frank had divided his party. Rattleton, Diamond, Mulloy and Gallup were on one side, while Merriwell, Browning, Hodge, Dunnerwust and Toots were on the other.

It took but a few moments for all arrangements to be completed.

The sides of twenty men each were drawn up facing each other, with an open s.p.a.ce between them. The forty players were scattered over considerable territory. Each man stood in an expectant att.i.tude, one of the rude bats in his hands, ready for the ball to be put into play.

The ball was small and hard, and the players could not touch it with their hands after play began, but they must keep it constantly in the air. The moment it touched the ground the game was won and the side upon whose territory it had fallen were defeated.

This was the usual rule, but, on this occasion it was modified somewhat, as there were white players in the game, and it was not expected they could do as well as the Indians who were familiar with the sport. It was decided that the ball must be driven to the ground twice on one side or the other in order to insure a defeat. It was to be the "best two out of three."

Suddenly there was a shrill yell, a sharp crack, and the ball had been batted into play.

CHAPTER XXII-THE BALL GAME

Up, up into the air sailed the little ball.

With a shout the players rushed to get beneath it.