t a wad in his pocket that would choke a horse."

"Yes," said Joe dryly, "I've seen that wad before. But take a fool's
advice, Nick, and stick to the old ship."

"That's all very well," said Altman. "But a man's worth all that he will
bring in any other line of work--and why shouldn't it be so in baseball?
Who is it that brings the money in at the gate, anyway? We're the ones
that the public come to see, but it's the bosses that get all the money."

"Lay off on that 'poor, down-trodden slave' talk, Nick," said Joe
earnestly. "You know as well as I do that there are mighty few fellows who
get as well paid for six months' work as we ball players do. But, leave
that out of the question for a minute--don't you suppose the backers of
this new league are just as eager to make money out of us as anybody
else? Do you think they're in the game for the sport of it? And don't you
know that the coming of a new league just now is likely to wreck the game?
You know how it was in the old Brotherhood days--they did the same crooked
work then that they're trying to do now--bribing men to jump their
contracts by offers of big money. The game got a blow then that it took
years to recover from, and there wasn't a single major league player that
in the long run, didn't suffer from it. Play the game, Nick--and let's
show these fellows that they can't buy us as they would so many cattle."

Altman was visibly impressed, and Westland, who had been watching
proceedings out of the corner of his eye, thought it time to intervene. He
strolled down toward them and without looking at Joe, spoke directly to
Altman.

"Train's coming, Nick," he said. "I just heard the whistle. I'll stay with
you so that we can get seats together in the smoker."

"Well, good-bye, Joe!" said Altman. "I'm glad to have seen you again,
anyway, and I'll promise not to do anything hastily."

And as Jim and Clara came hurrying up at that moment, Joe had to be
content with the hope that, at least, he had put a spoke in Westland's
wheel.

The train was in sight now, and all thoughts of baseball were banished
for the moment at the thought of what that train was bringing to him.

With a rush and a roar the train drew up at the station. The colored
porter jumped down the steps of the parlor car to assist the descending
passengers.

Joe uttered an exclamation, and Clara gave a little squeal of delight as
two young people, whom a family resemblance proclaimed to be brother a