, to make the thing safe, you made
arrangements to betray Oakdale's pitching signals to Barville. _I_
didn't know anything about that--until after the game. If I had known
in advance----"

"Now what would you have done?" asked Herbert, snapping his fingers.
"If you had found out about that after your money was wagered on
Barville, I presume you would have warned your dear friend Eliot and
sacrificed everything! I've noticed that you have kept mighty still
about it since you did find out."

"Yes, I've kept still, because you failed in your crooked scheme, and
because--well, because I wasn't anxious to have it known that I bet the
way I did, and I knew you'd retaliate by peaching on me if I breathed a
word concerning you."

Herbert laughed and coughed at the same time. "Just so. Wise boy. I
certainly should have done just that. Let me tell you now that things
will be fixed doubly solid for the game next Saturday, and----"

"Look here," cried Roy, facing the visitor threateningly, "if you
attempt to repeat that trick in Wyndham I'll expose you sure as
shooting. I mean it. You can't frighten me. You can tell that I bet
against my own team if you want to, but----"

"I presume you're perfectly willing that I should tell how you came by
the money? Oh, I guess you'd keep still even if I tried the same trick
over again."

"I wouldn't. Try it and see! I've paid the money back, and you can't
keep me still that way. I'm pitching on the team now, and I want to
see it win."

"Too bad you're going to be so keenly disappointed. You won't do any
pitching against Wyndham, that's a cinch. Eliot has been forced to
take you up as a makeshift since losing Springer, but you'll be used
only in the minor games. Grant will do all the heavy work in the big
games, and get all the glory. The first time I heard you talk, Hook, I
thought you had some real spirit; but I've found out that you're just a
common weak-kneed, aspiring sycophant, ready to feed on crumbs and lick
the hand that flings them to you."

"I've heard about enough from you!" snarled Hooker. "I think you'd
better get. I don't want to put my hands on you, but I shall if you
stay any longer and shoot off your face. I think you and I will call
it quits, Rackliff; I want no further dealings with you. And let me
tell you before you go that if I find out you're up to any of your
tricks Saturday I'll put the fellows wise. You can't frighten me into
keeping s