There are others who do not, sir." Hartwick made no reply.
As the third and final game of the series was to be played on neutral ground, there had been some disagreement about the location, but Springfield had finally been decided upon, and accepted by Yale and Harvard.
Frank did his best to keep his arm in good condition for that game, something which Pierson approved.

Hicks was used as much as possible in all other games, but Frank found it necessary to pull one or two off the coals for him.
Heffiner had indeed used his arm up in the grand struggle to win the second game from Harvard--the game that it was absolutely necessary for Yale to secure.

He tended that arm as if it were a baby, but it had been strained severely and it came into shape very slowly.

As soon as possible he tried to do a little throwing every day, but it was some time before he could get a ball more than ten or fifteen feet.
It became generally known that Merriwell would have to pitch at Springfield, beyond a doubt, and the greatest anxiety was felt at Yale.
Every man had confidence in Heffiner, but it was believed by the majority that the freshman was still raw, and therefore was liable to make a wretched fizzle of it.
Heffiner did not think so.

He coached Merriwell almost every day, and his confidence in Frank increased.
"The boy is all right," was all he would say about it, but that did not satisfy the anxious ones.
During the week before the deciding game was to come off Heffiner's arm improved more rapidly than it had at any time before, and scores of men urged Pierson to put Old Reliable, as Hugh was sometimes called, into the box.
A big crowd went up to Springfield on the day of the great game, but the "sons of Old Eli" were far from confident, although they were determined to root for their team to the last gasp.
The most disquieting rumors had been afloat concerning Harvard.