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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Baseball Joe in the World Series - Or, Pitching for the Championship - -Author: Lester Chadwick - -Release Date: August 12, 2013 [EBook #43455] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -[Illustration: HE WAS A GLORIOUS FIGURE OF YOUNG MANHOOD.] - - - - - Baseball Joe in - the World Series - - OR - - Pitching for the Championship - - _By_ LESTER CHADWICK - - AUTHOR OF - - "BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS," "BASEBALL - JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE," "THE RIVAL - PITCHERS," "THE EIGHT-OARED - VICTORS," ETC. - - - _ILLUSTRATED_ - - - NEW YORK - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - - - - -=BOOKS BY LESTER CHADWICK= - - -=THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES= - - =12mo. Cloth. Illustrated - Price per volume, 75 Cents, postpaid= - - BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS - BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE - BASEBALL JOE AT YALE - BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE - BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE - BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS - BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES - -(_Other Volumes in Preparation_) - - -=THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES= - - =12mo. Cloth. Illustrated - Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid= - - THE RIVAL PITCHERS - A QUARTERBACK'S PLUCK - BATTING TO WIN - THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN - THE EIGHT-OARED VICTORS - -(_Other Volumes in Preparation_) - - -CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, New York - - - Copyright, 1917, by - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - - -=Baseball Joe in the World Series= - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I AN INSOLENT INTRUDER 1 - II GLOWING HOPES 12 - III A POPULAR HERO 20 - IV THE SPOILS OF WAR 30 - V GETTING READY FOR THE FRAY 37 - VI JOE GIVES FAIR WARNING 45 - VII THE THOUSAND DOLLAR BANKBILL 52 - VIII RECKLESS DRIVING 61 - IX A BRUTAL ACT 69 - X THE OPENING GUN 77 - XI SNATCHED FROM THE FIRE 84 - XII THE TABLES TURNED 92 - XIII A GALLANT EFFORT 106 - XIV MORE HARD LUCK 113 - XV FLEMING TURNS UP AGAIN 121 - XVI A CAD'S PUNISHMENT 128 - XVII PLANNING FOR REVENGE 134 - XVIII THE PLOT 140 - XIX WEAVING THE WEB 147 - XX A STIRRING BATTLE 155 - XXI EVENING UP THE SCORE 163 - XXII A HOLE IN THE WEB 169 - XXIII TAKING THE LEAD 176 - XXIV PLOTTING MISCHIEF 187 - XXV A RANDOM CLUE 193 - XXVI A BLUFF THAT WORKED 200 - XXVII STEALING SIGNALS 212 - XXVIII A BLOW IN THE DARK 217 - XXIX QUICK WORK 223 - XXX A GLORIOUS VICTORY 232 - - - - -BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES - - - - -CHAPTER I - -AN INSOLENT INTRUDER - - -"Here he comes!" - -"Hurrah for Matson!" - -"Great game, old man." - -"You stood the Chicagos on their heads that time, Joe." - -"That home run of yours was a dandy." - -"What's the matter with Matson?" - -"_He's all right!_" - -A wild uproar greeted the appearance of Joe Matson, the famous pitcher -of the New York Giants, as he emerged from the clubhouse at the Polo -Grounds after the great game in which he had pitched the Giants to the -head of the National League and put them in line for the World Series -with the champions of the American League. - -It was no wonder that the crowd had gone crazy with excitement. All New -York shared the same madness. The race for the pennant had been one of -the closest ever known. In the last few weeks it had narrowed down to a -fight between the Giants and the Chicagos, and the two teams had come -down the stretch, nose to nose, fighting for every inch, each straining -every nerve to win. It had been a slap-dash, ding-dong finish, and the -Giants had won "by a hair." - -Joe Matson--affectionately known as "Baseball Joe"--had pitched the -deciding game, and to him above all others had gone the honors of the -victory. Not only had he twirled a superb game, but it had been his home -run in the ninth inning after two men were out that had brought the -pennant to New York. - -And just at this moment his name was on more tongues than that of any -other man in the United States. Telegraph wires had flashed the news of -his triumph to every city and village in the country, and the cables and -wireless had borne it to every American colony in the world. - -Joe's hand had been shaken and his back pounded by exulting enthusiasts -until he was lame and sore all over. It was with a feeling of relief -that he had gained the shelter of the clubhouse with its refreshing -shower and rubdown. Even here his mates had pawed and mauled him -in their delight at the glorious victory, until he had laughingly -threatened to thrash a few of them. And now, as, after getting into his -street clothes, he came out into the side street and viewed the crowd -that waited for him, he saw that he was in for a new ordeal. - -"Gee whiz!" he exclaimed to his friend and fellow player, Jim Barclay, -who accompanied him. "Will they never let up on me?" - -"It's one of the penalties of fame, old man," laughed Jim. "Don't make -out that you don't like it, you old hypocrite." - -"Of course I like it," admitted Joe with a grin. "All the same I don't -want to have this old wing of mine torn from its socket. I need it in my -business." - -"You bet you do," agreed Jim. "It's going to come in mighty handy for -the World Series. But we'll be out of this in a minute." - -He held up his hand to signal a passing taxicab, and the cab edged its -way to the curb. - -The crowd swept in upon the players and they had all they could do to -elbow their way through. They succeeded finally and slammed the door -shut, while the chauffeur threw in the clutch and the taxicab darted -off, pursued by the shouts and plaudits of the crowd. - -Joe sank back on the cushions with a sigh of relief. - -"The first free breath I've drawn since the game ended," he remarked. - -"It's been a wonderful day for you, Joe," said Jim, looking at his -chum with ungrudging admiration. "That game will stand out in baseball -history for years to come." - -"I'm mighty glad I won for my own sake," answered Joe; "but I'm -gladder still on account of the team. The boys backed me up in great -shape--except in that fifth inning--and I'd have felt fearfully sore if -I hadn't been able to deliver the goods. But those Chicagos certainly -made us fight to win." - -"They're a great team," admitted Jim; "and they put up a corking good -game. But it was our day to win." - -"Did you see McRae and Robson after the game?" he went on, referring to -the manager and the coach of the Giant team. "Whatever dignity they had, -they lost it then. They fairly hugged each other and did the tango in -front of the clubhouse." - -Joe grinned as the burly figures came before his mental vision. - -"They've been under a fearful strain for the last few weeks," he -commented; "and I guess they had to let themselves go in some fashion or -they'd have burst." - -"Do you realize what that home run of yours meant in money, to say -nothing of the glory?" jubilated Jim. - -"I haven't had time to do much figuring yet," smiled Joe. - -"It meant at least fifty thousand dollars for the team," pursued Jim. -"We'll get that much even if we lose the World Series, and a good -deal more if we win. And if the Series goes to six or seven games the -management will scoop in a big pot of money, too--anywhere from fifty to -a hundred thousand dollars." - -"That's good," replied Joe, a little absent-mindedly. - -"Good?" echoed Jim, sharply. "It's more than good--it's great, it's -glorious! Wake up, man, and stop your dreaming." - -Joe came to himself with a little start. - -"You're--you're right, Jim," he stammered somewhat confusedly. "To tell -the truth, I wasn't thinking just then of money." - -Jim gave him a quick glance, and a sudden look of amused comprehension -came into his eyes. Joe caught his glance and flushed. - -"What are you blushing about?" demanded Jim with a grin. - -"I wasn't blushing," defended Joe, stoutly. "It's mighty warm in this -cab." - -Jim laughed outright. - -"Tell that to the King of Denmark," he chuckled. "I'm on, old man. You -told me in the clubhouse that you were going to the Marlborough Hotel, -and I know just who it is that's stopping there." - -"My friend, Reggie Varley, is putting up there," countered Joe, feebly. - -"My friend Reggie Varley," mimicked Jim, "to say nothing of his charming -sister. Oh, I'm not blind, old fellow. I've seen for a long time how the -wind was blowing. Well," he continued, dropping his light tone for a -more earnest one, "go in and win, Joe. I hope you have all the luck in -the world." - -He reached over and slapped his friend cordially on the shoulder. Then -he signaled for the chauffeur to stop. - -"What are you getting out here for?" asked Joe. "We haven't got to your -street yet." - -"I know it," answered Jim, preparing to jump out. "I want to give you a -chance to think up what you're going to say to the lady fair," he added, -mischievously. - -He ducked the friendly thrust that Joe made toward him and went away -laughing, while the cab started on. - -Joe knew perfectly well what he intended to say when he should meet -Mabel Varley. He had wanted to say it for a long time, and had -determined that if his team won the pennant he would wait no longer. - -He had met her for the first time two years before under unusual -circumstances. At that time he was playing in the Central League, and -his team was training at Montville, North Carolina. He had saved Mabel -from being carried over a cliff by a runaway horse, and the acquaintance -thus formed had soon deepened into friendship. With Joe it had now -become a much stronger feeling, and he had dared to hope that this was -shared by Mabel. - -Reggie Varley, Mabel's brother, was a rather affected young man, who -ran chiefly to clothes and automobiles and had an accent that he -fondly supposed was English. Joe had met him at an earlier date than -that at which he had formed Mabel's acquaintance and under unpleasant -conditions. Reggie had lost sight of his valise in a railway station, -and had rashly accused Joe of taking it. He apologized later, however, -and the young men had become the best of friends, for Reggie, despite -some foolish little affectations, was at heart a thoroughly good fellow. - -The brother and sister had come to New York to see the deciding games -and were quartered at the Marlborough Hotel. Mabel had waved to Joe from -a box at the Polo Grounds that afternoon, and her presence had nerved -him to almost superhuman exertions. And he had won and won gloriously. - -Would his good luck continue? He was asking himself this question when -the taxicab drew up at the curb, and he saw that he was at the door of -the Marlborough. - -He jumped out and thrust his hand in his pocket to get the money for his -fare, but the chauffeur waved him back with a grin. - -"Nuthin' doin'," he said. "This ride is on me." - -"What do you mean?" inquired Joe in surprise. - -"Jest what I said," returned the chauffeur. "The fellow that won the -championship for the New Yorks can't pay me any money. It's enough -for me to have Baseball Joe ride in my cab. I can crow over the other -fellows that wasn't so lucky." - -"Nonsense," laughed Joe, as he took out a bankbill and tried to thrust -it on him. - -"No use, boss," the man persisted. "Your money's counterfeit with me." - -He started his car with a rush and a backward wave of his hand, and -Joe, warned by a cheer or two that came from people near by who had -recognized him, was forced to retreat into the hotel. - -He did not send up a card, as he was a frequent caller and felt sure -of his welcome. Besides, he was too impatient for any formalities. He -wanted to be in the presence of Mabel, and even the elevator seemed -slow, though it shot him with amazing speed to the fifth floor on which -the Varley suite was located. - -His heart was beating fast as he knocked at the parlor door, and it beat -still faster when a familiar voice bade him enter. - -He burst in with a rush that suddenly stopped short when he saw that -he was not the only visitor. A young man had stepped back quickly from -Mabel's side and it was evident that he had just withdrawn his hand from -hers. - -For a moment Joe's blood drummed in his ears and the demon of jealousy -took possession of him. He glared at the visitor, who stared back at him -with an air of insolence that to Joe at that moment was maddening. - -The stranger was dressed in a degree of fashion that bordered on -foppishness. He wore more jewelry than was dictated by good taste, even -going so far as to carry a tiny wrist watch. His eyes were pale, his -chin slightly retreating, and his face showed unmistakable marks of -dissipation. His air was arrogant and supercilious as he took Joe slowly -in from head to foot. - -Mabel rushed forward eagerly as Joe entered. - -"Oh, Joe!" she cried. "I'm so glad you've come! I never was so glad in -all my life." - -Before the joyous warmth of that greeting, Joe's jealousy receded. He -could not question her sincerity. All her soul was in her eyes. - -He took her hand tenderly in his and felt that it was trembling. Had she -been frightened? He turned her about so that he stood between her and -the visitor. - -"Tell me," he commanded in a low voice. "Has this man offended you?" - -"Yes, no, yes!" she whispered. "Oh, Joe, please don't say anything now! -Please, for my sake, Joe! It's all right now. I'll tell you about it -afterward. He's Reggie's friend. Don't make a scene, please, Joe!" - -Joe's muscles stiffened, and had it not been for Mabel's earnest -pleading, he would have thrown the other fellow out of the room. But -Mabel's name must not be mixed up in any brawl, and by a mighty effort -he restrained himself. - -The visitor during this brief colloquy had been moving about uneasily. -He evidently wished himself anywhere else than where he was. Then, as -the two turned toward him, he put on a mask of carelessness and drawled -lazily: - -"Won't you introduce me to--ah--your friend, Miss Varley?" - -Mabel, recalled to her duty as hostess, had no option but to comply. - -"This is Mr. Beckworth Fleming, Joe," she said. "Mr. Fleming, this is -Mr. Matson." - -The two men bowed coldly but neither extended a hand. - -"Mr. Fleming is a friend of Reggie's," Mabel explained to Joe. - -"And of yours also, I hope, Miss Varley," said Fleming with an -ingratiating smile. - -"I said a friend of Reggie's," returned Mabel, coldly. - -It was a direct cut, and Fleming felt it as he would have felt the lash -of a whip. He turned a dull red and was about to reply, when he caught -the menacing look in Joe's eyes and stopped. He muttered something about -a pressing engagement, took up his hat and cane, and with a pretence of -haughtiness that failed dismally of its effect, swaggered from the room. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -GLOWING HOPES - - -"And now!" exclaimed Joe, as soon as the door had closed on the -unwelcome visitor, "tell me, Mabel, what that fellow said or did, and -I'll hunt him up and thrash him within an inch of his life. I'll make -him wish he'd never been born." - -"Don't do anything like that, Joe," urged the girl. "He's probably had -his lesson, and it isn't likely I'll ever be troubled by him again. He's -just an acquaintance that Reggie picked up somewhere, and I've only -seen him once before to-day. He called at the hotel to see Reggie, and -when he found he wasn't in, he stayed to talk with me. He started in by -paying me a lot of compliments and then became familiar and impudent. He -seized my hand, and when I sought to pull it away from him he wouldn't -let me. I was getting thoroughly frightened and was going to call out -when your knock came at the door. Oh, Joe, I was so glad when I saw who -it was!" - -She was perilously near to tears, and her beautiful eyes were dewy as -they looked into his. Joe's heart beat madly. The words he had been -longing to say leaped to his lips, but he choked them back. He did not -want to catch her off her guard, to take advantage of her emotions and -of her shaken condition. Her acceptance of him at that moment might -be due in part to gratitude and relief. He wanted more than that--the -unconditional, unreserved surrender of her heart and life into his -keeping, based only on affection. - -So he held himself under control and recompensed himself for his -selfdenial by an inward promise to make things interesting for Mr. -Beckworth Fleming, if ever that cad's path and his should cross. - -"But come," said Mabel more brightly, as she sank into a chair and -motioned Joe to another, "let's talk about something pleasant." - -"About you then," smiled Joe, his eyes dwelling on her eloquently. - -"Not poor little me," she pouted in mock humility. "Who am I compared -with the great Joseph Matson about whom all the world is talking--the -man who won the championship for the Giants, the hero whose picture -to-morrow will hold the place of honor in every newspaper in the -country?" - -"You're chaffing me now," laughed Joe. - -"Not a bit," she said demurely, her dimples coming and going in a way -that drove him nearly distracted. "I really feel as though I ought to -salaam or kow-tow or whatever it is the Orientals do when they come -before the Emperor. But, oh, Joe," and here she dropped her bantering -manner and leaned forward earnestly, "you were simply magnificent this -afternoon. The way you kept your nerve and won that game was just -wonderful. I was so excited at times that I thought my heart would leap -out of my body. I was proud, oh, so proud that you were a friend of -mine!" - -Joe had heard many words of praise that day but none half so sweet as -these. - -"Will you let me tell you a secret?" he exclaimed, half rising from his -chair. "Do you want to know who really won that game?" - -"Why, you did," she returned in some surprise. "Of course the rest -of the team did, too, but if it hadn't been for your pitching and -batting----" - -"No," he interrupted, "it was _you_ who won the game." - -He had risen now and had come swiftly to her side. - -"Listen, Mabel," he said, and before the note in his voice she felt -her pulses leap. "You were in my mind from the start to the finish of -that game. I looked up at you every time I went into the box. This -little glove of yours"--he took it from his pocket with a hand that -trembled--"lay close to my heart all through the game. Mabel----" - -"Why, hello, Joe, old top!" came a voice from the door that had opened -without their hearing it. "What good wind blew you here? I'm no end glad -to see you, don't you know. Congratulations, old man, on winning that -game. You were simply rippin', don't you know." - -And Reggie Varley ambled in and shook Joe's hand warmly, blandly -unconscious of the lack of welcome from the two inmates of the room. - -"How are you, Reggie?" Joe managed to blurt out, wishing viciously that -at that moment his friend were at the very farthest corner of the world. - -It is possible that Mabel's feelings were most unsisterly, but she -concealed them and rallied more readily than Joe from the shock caused -by her brother's inopportune coming. - -"I was just telling Joe how proud we were of him," she smiled. "But -he's so modest that he refuses to take any credit for what he has done. -Insists that somebody else won the game." - -"Of course that's all bally nonsense, don't you know," declared Reggie, -looking puzzled. "The other fellows helped, of course, but Joe was the -king pin. Those Chicagos were out for blood and Joe was the only one who -could tame them." - -Joe listened moodily, and while he is recovering his composure it may -be well, for the sake of those who have not followed the career of the -famous young pitcher, to mention the previous books of this series in -which his exploits are recorded. - -His diamond history opened in the first volume of the series, entitled: -"Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars; Or, The Rivals of Riverside." Here he -had his first experience in pitching. In that restricted circle he soon -became widely known as one of the best of the amateur boxmen, but he had -to earn that position by overcoming many difficulties. - -In "Baseball Joe on the School Nine," we find the same qualities of -grit and determination shown in a different field. The situation here -was complicated by the efforts of the bully of the school, who did -everything in his power to frustrate Joe and bring him to disaster. - -A little later on, Joe went to Yale, and his triumphs in the great -university are told in the third volume of the series, entitled: -"Baseball Joe at Yale; Or, Pitching for the College Championship." - -As may be imagined, with such redoubtable rivals as Harvard and -Princeton, a very different class of baseball is required from that -which will "get by" in academies and preparatory schools. - -Joe got his chance to pitch against Princeton in an exciting game where -the Yale "Bulldog" "put one over" on the Princeton "Tiger." - -But in spite of his athletic prowess and general popularity, Joe was not -entirely happy at Yale. His mother had set her heart on Joe's studying -for the ministry. But Joe himself did not feel any special call in that -direction. While always a faithful student he was not a natural scholar, -and outdoor life had a strong appeal for him. His success in athletics -confirmed this natural bent, until at last he came to the conclusion -that he ought to adopt professional baseball as his vocation. - -His mother was, naturally, much disappointed, as she had had great -hopes of seeing her only son in the pulpit. Moreover, she had the vague -feeling that there was something almost disreputable in making baseball -a profession. But Joe at last convinced her that whatever might have -been true in the early days of the game did not apply now, when so -many high-class men were turning toward it, and she yielded, though -reluctantly. - -Joe's chance to break into the professional ranks was not long in -coming. That last great game with Princeton had been noted by Jimmie -Mack, manager of the Pittston team in the Central League. He made Joe an -offer which the latter accepted, and the story of his first experience -on the professional diamond is told in the fourth volume of the series -entitled: "Baseball Joe in the Central League; Or, Making Good as a -Professional Pitcher." - -But this was only the first step in his career. He was too ambitious -to be content with the Central League except as a stepping stone to -something higher. His delight can be imagined, therefore, when he -learned that he had been drafted into the St. Louis Club of the National -League. He was no longer a "busher" but the "real thing." He had to work -hard and had many stirring adventures. How he succeeded in helping his -team into the first division is told in the fifth volume of the series, -entitled: "Baseball Joe in the Big League; Or, A Young Pitcher's Hardest -Struggles." - -But these hard struggles were at the same time victorious ones and -attracted the attention of the baseball public, who are always on the -lookout for a new star. Among others, McRae, the famous manager of the -New York Giants, thought he saw in Joe a great chance to bolster up his -pitching staff. Joe could hardly believe his eyes when he learned that -he had been bought by New York. It brought a bigger reputation, a larger -salary and a capital chance to get into the World Series. He worked like -a Trojan all through the season, and, as we have already seen, came -through with flying colors, winning from the Chicagos the final game -that made the Giants the champions of the National League and put them -in line for the championship of the world. The details of the stirring -fight are told in the sixth volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball -Joe on the Giants; Or, Making Good as a Ball Twirler in the Metropolis." - -"I say, old top," remarked Reggie, breaking in on Joe's rather resentful -musings, "you're going to stay and have dinner with us to-night, you -know." - -Joe looked at Mabel for confirmation. - -"You certainly must, Joe," she said enthusiastically. "We won't take no -for an answer." - -As there was nothing else on earth that Joe wanted so much as to be with -Mabel, he did not require much urging. - -"And I'll tell you what we'll do," suggested Mabel. "In fact, it's the -only thing we can do. We'll have the dinner served right in here for -the three of us. If you should go down in the public dining-room of the -hotel to-night, Joe, you'd have a crowd around the table ten lines deep." - -"By Jove, you're right," chimed in Reggie. "They'd have to send out a -call for reserves. I'll go down and have a little talk with the head -waiter, and I'll have him send up a dinner fit for a king." - -"Fit for a queen," corrected Joe, as he glanced at Mabel. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -A POPULAR HERO - - -Reggie hurried away to order the meal that was to put the chef on his -mettle, leaving Mabel and Joe once more in possession of the room. - -Good-natured, blundering Reggie! Why had he not waited five minutes -longer before breaking in on that momentous conversation? - -To be sure they could have resumed it now, but Joe felt instinctively -that it was not the time. Cupid is sensitive as to time and place, and -the little blind god is only at his best when assured of leisure and -privacy. His motto is that "two is company" while three or more are -undeniably "a crowd." - -Reggie might be back at any moment, and then, too, the waiters would be -coming in to spread the table. So Joe, though sorely against his will, -was forced to wait till fate should be more kind. - -But he was in the presence of his divinity anyway and could feast his -eyes upon her as she chatted gaily, her color heightened by the scene -through which they had just passed. - -And Mabel was a very delightful object for the eyes to rest upon. Joe -himself, of course, was not a competent witness. If any one had asked -him to describe her, he would have answered that she was a combination -of Cleopatra and Madame Recamier and all the other famous beauties of -history. What the unbiased observer would have seen was a very charming -girl, sweet and womanly, with lustrous brown eyes, wavy hair whose -tendrils persisted in playing hide and seek about her ears, dimples that -came and went in a maddening fashion and a flower-like mouth, revealing -two rows of pearly teeth when she smiled, which was often. - -Even Reggie was moved to compliment her when he came in again after his -interview with the head waiter. - -"My word, Sis, but you're blooming to-night, don't you know," he -remarked, as he went across the room and put his hand caressingly on her -shoulder. "This little trip must be doing you good. You've got such a -splendid color, don't you know." - -"Just think of it! A compliment from a brother! Wonder of wonders!" she -laughed merrily. - -Perhaps if she had cared to, she might have enlightened the obtuse -Reggie as to the cause of the heightened color that enhanced her -loveliness. Joe, too, could have made a shrewd guess at it. - -But now the waiters came bustling in and they talked of indifferent -things until the table was spread. A sumptuous meal was brought in, and -the three sat down to as merry a little dinner party as there was that -night in the city of New York. - -"How honored we are, Reggie," exclaimed Mabel, "to have the great Mr. -Matson as our guest! There are hundreds of people who would give their -eyes for such a chance." - -She flashed a mocking glance at Joe who grew red, as she knew he would. -The little witch delighted in making him blush. It made his bronzed face -still more handsome, she thought. - -"You'd better make the most of it," Joe grinned in reply. "I may fall -down in the World Series and be batted out of the box. Then you'll be -pretending that you don't know me." - -"I'm not afraid of that," returned Mabel. "After the way you pitched -this afternoon, I'm sure there's nothing in the American League you need -to be afraid of." - -"That's loyal, anyway," laughed Joe. "Still you never can tell. It's -happened to me before and it may happen again. Then, too, you must -remember that it's a different proposition I'll be up against. - -"Take, for instance, the Chicagos to-day. I've pitched against them -before and I knew their weak points. I knew the fellows who can't hit a -high ball but are death on the low ones. I knew the ones who would try -to wait me out and those who would lash out at any ball that came within -reach. I knew the ones who would crowd the plate and those who would -inch in to meet the ball. The whole problem was to feed them what they -didn't want. - -"But it will be different when I come up against the American Leaguers. -It will be some time before I catch on to their weak points. And while -I'm learning, one of them may line out a three bagger or a home run that -will win the game." - -"You speak of their weak points as though they all had them," put in -Reggie. - -"They do," replied Joe, promptly. "All of them have some weakness, and -sooner or later you find it out. If there's any exception to that rule -at all, it's Ty Cobb of Detroit. If he has any weakness, no one knows -what it is. For the last seven years he's led the American League in -batting, base stealing and everything else worth while. All pitchers -look alike to him. He's a perfect terror to the twirlers." - -"Well, you won't have to worry about him, anyway," smiled Mabel. "It's -lucky that he's on the Detroits instead of the Bostons. For I suppose -it's the Bostons you'll have to face in the World Series." - -"I guess it will be," answered Joe. "Their season doesn't end until -Friday. They've had almost as tight a race in their league as we've -had in ours, for the Athletics have been close on their heels. But -the Bostons have to take only one game to clinch the flag while the -Athletics will have to win every game. So it's pretty nearly a sure -thing for the Red Sox." - -"Which team would you rather have to fight against?" asked Reggie. - -"Well, it's pretty near a toss-up," answered Joe, thoughtfully. "Either -one will be a hard nut to crack. That one hundred thousand dollar -infield of the Athletics is a stone wall, but I think the Boston -outfield is stronger. That manager of the Athletics is in a class by -himself, and what he doesn't know about the game isn't worth knowing. -He's liable to spring something on you at any time. Still the Boston -manager is mighty foxy, too, and you have to keep your eyes open to -circumvent him. Take it all in all, I'd just about as lief face one team -as the other." - -"It will be a little shorter trip for you between the two cities, if you -happen to have the Athletics for your opponents," suggested Mabel. - -"Yes," assented Joe. "In that case we'd have a good long sleep in -regular beds every night, while on the Boston trip we'd have to put up -with sleeping cars. Still the jumps wouldn't be big in either case, -and it's a mighty sight better than if we had to go out West for the -Chicagos or Detroits. - -"From a money point of view the boys are rooting for Boston to win," he -went on. - -"Why, what difference would that make?" asked Mabel in surprise. - -"Because the Boston grounds hold more people than the Athletics' park," -was the answer. - -"That's something new to me," put in Reggie. "I've attended games at -both grounds, and it didn't seem to me there was much difference between -them." - -"The answer is," replied Joe, "that we're not going to play at Fenway -Park, the regular American League grounds in Boston, in case Boston is -our opponent." - -"How is that?" - -"Because Braves Field, the National League grounds there, will hold over -forty-three thousand people, and the owners have put it at the disposal -of the American League Club," Joe answered. - -"That's a sportsmanlike thing to do," commented Mabel, warmly. - -"It certainly is," echoed her brother. - -"Oh, the days of the old cutthroat policy have gone by," said Joe. "The -National and American Leagues used to fight each other like a pair of -Kilkenny cats, but they've found that there is nothing in such a game. -This act of the Boston people shows the new spirit. We saw it, too, -when the grandstand was burned at the Polo Grounds. The ruins hadn't -got through smoking before the Yankee management offered the use of its -grounds to McRae as long as he needed them. And then a little later when -the Yankees lost their grounds because streets were going to be cut -through them, McRae returned the favor by giving them the use of the -Polo Grounds. It's the right spirit. Fight like tigers to win games, but -outside of that, let live and wish the other luck." - -"Tell me honestly, Joe, what you think the New York's chances are, in -case they have to stack up against Boston," said Reggie. - -"Well," answered Joe, thoughtfully, toying with his spoon, "if you'd -asked me that question a week ago, I'd have said that New York would win -in a walk. But just now I wouldn't be anywhere near so sure of that." - -"You mean the accident to Hughson?" put in Mabel. - -"Exactly that. He was going like a house afire just before that. You saw -what he did to Chicago in the first game. He had those fellows eating -out of his hand. He was simply unhittable. That fadeaway of his was -zipping along six inches under their bats. They didn't have a Chinaman's -chance. - -"Then, too, in addition to that splendid pitching his reputation helps -a lot. The minute it is announced that Hughson is going to pitch, the -other fellows begin to curl up. They're half whipped before they start, -because they feel that he has the Indian sign on them, and it's of no -use to try." - -"That's so," assented Reggie. "Besides, when he's in the box his own -team feel they're in for a victory and they play like demons behind him." - -"It's going to take away a lot of confidence from our boys," said Joe, -"and in a critical series like that, confidence is half the battle. We -could have lost two or three other men and yet have a better chance than -we will have with Hughson out of the game." - -"Isn't there any chance of his recovering in time to take part in some -of the games?" asked Mabel. - -"A bare chance only," Joe replied. "I saw the old boy yesterday, and -he's getting along surprisingly fast. You see, he always keeps himself -in such splendid physical condition that he recovers more quickly than -an ordinary man would. We've got over a week yet before the Series -starts, and he may possibly be able to go in before the games are over. -If he does, that will be an immense help. But McRae had figured on -having him pitch the first game, so as to get the jump on the other -fellows at the very start. Then he could have gone in at least twice -more, perhaps three times, and it would have been all over but the -shouting." - -"It's lucky that McRae has you at hand to step into Hughson's shoes," -declared Reggie. - -"Step into them!" exclaimed Joe. "Yes, and rattle around in them. Nobody -can fill them." - -"I don't believe a word of it," cried Mabel warmly--so warmly in fact -that her brother looked at her in some surprise. - -"Yes," she repeated, holding her ground valiantly, "I mean just what I -say. It's awfully generous of you, Joe, to praise Hughson to the skies, -but there's no use in underrating yourself. I don't think Hughson can -pitch one bit better than you can. Look at that game this afternoon. I -heard lots of people around me say that they never saw such pitching -in all their lives. And what you did to-day you can do again. So -there!"--she caught herself up, smiling a little confusedly, as though -she had betrayed herself, but finished defiantly--"if that be treason, -make the most of it." - -Joe's heart gave a great leap, not only at the tribute but at the tone -and look that had gone with it. So this was what Mabel thought of him! -This was how she believed in him! - -His head was whirling, but in his happy confusion one thought kept -pounding away at his consciousness, a thought that never left him -through all the tremendous test that lay before him: - -"I've _got_ to make good! I've _got_ to make good!" - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE SPOILS OF WAR - - -The rest of the evening flew by as though on wings, and Joe was startled -when he looked at his watch and found that it was nearly eleven o'clock. - -"I'll have to go," he said reluctantly. "I had no idea it was so late." - -"Why should you hurry?" asked Reggie. "The season's over now in the -National League, and the World Series won't begin for a week or more. I -should think you might have a little leeway in the matter of sitting up -late." - -"I'll have plenty of leeway before long," laughed Joe. "But just now I -want to keep in the very pink of condition. I'll need every ounce of -strength and vitality I've got before I get through the Series." - -He would have dearly loved a chance for a few words with Mabel in -private before he went away, but Reggie failed to appreciate that fact, -and he accompanied the pair even when they went out to the elevator. -But Joe avenged himself by holding Mabel's hand much longer and more -closely than he had ever dared do before, and the girl did not dream of -calling for help. - -But although Joe had been balked in saying what he had wanted to that -night, he felt much surer of Mabel's feelings toward him, and his heart -was a tumult of joyous emotions as he made his way home to the rooms he -shared with Jim. - -He found Barclay sound asleep, at which he rejoiced. He was in no mood -for chaff and banter. He wanted to go over in his mind every incident of -that memorable evening--to recall the tones of Mabel's voice, the look -in Mabel's eyes. It was a delightful occupation and took a good while, -so that it was late when he dropped off to sleep. - -He was awakened at a much later hour than usual the next morning by a -vigorous tugging at the shoulder of his pajamas; and, opening one sleepy -eye, saw Jim fully dressed standing at the side of his bed. - -"Go away and let me sleep," grumbled Joe, turning over on his pillow for -another forty winks. - -"For the love of Pete, man! how much sleep do you want?" snorted Jim. -"What are you trying to do, forget your sorrows? Here it is after nine -o'clock, and I've already had my breakfast and a shave. Get a wiggle on -and see what it is to be a popular hero." - -"Stop your joshing," muttered Joe, sleepily. - -"Josh nothing," Jim came back at him. "If you'll just open those liquid -orbs of yours and give this room the once over, you'll see whether I'm -joshing or not." - -This stirred Joe's curiosity and he sat up in bed with a jerk. - -"Great Scott!" he exclaimed, as he saw the room littered with a mass -of boxes and packages that covered every available spot on chairs and -tables and overflowed to the floor. "Where did you get all this junk? -Going to open a department store?" - -"I guess you'll be able to if they keep on coming," returned Jim. "I've -been signing receipts for express packages until I've got the writer's -cramp. And there's a pile of letters and telegrams, and there's a bunch -of reporters down in the lobby waiting for an interview with your Royal -Highness, and--but what's the use? Get up, you lazy hulk, and get busy." - -"It surely looks as though it were going to be my busy day," grinned -Joe, as he jumped out of bed and rushed to the shower. - -He shaved and dressed in a hurry and then ate a hasty breakfast, after -which he saw the reporters. - -Those clever and wideawake young men greeted him with enthusiasm and -overwhelmed him with questions that ranged from the date of his birth to -his opinion on the outcome of the World Series. They knew that their -papers would give them a free hand in the matter of space, and they were -in search not of paragraphs but of columns from the idol of the hour. - -"You look limp and wilted, Joe," laughed Jim, as they went back to their -rooms. - -"It's no wonder," growled Joe. "Those fellows got the whole sad story -of my life. They hunted out every fact and shook it as a terrier shakes -a rat. They turned me inside out. The only thing they forgot to ask was -when I got my first tooth and whether I'd ever had the measles. And, oh, -yes, they didn't find out what was my favorite breakfast food. But now -let's get busy on these parcels and see what's in them." - -"What's in them is plenty," prophesied Jim, "and these are only the few -drops before the shower." - -It was a varied collection of objects that they took from the packages. -There were boxes of cigars galore, enough to keep the chums in "smokes" -for a year to come. There were canes and silk shirts and neckties -accompanied by requests from dealers to be permitted to call their -product the "Matson." There were bottles of wine and whiskey, which met -with short welcome from these clean young athletes, who took them over -to the bathroom, cracked their necks and poured the contents down the -drain of the washbasin, until, as Jim declared, the place smelled for -all the world like a "booze parlor." - -"No merry mucilage for ours," declared Joe, grimly. "We've seen what it -did for Hartley, as clever a pitcher as ever twirled a ball." - -"Right you are," affirmed Jim. "There's none of us strong enough to down -old John Barleycorn, and the only way to be safe is never to touch it." - -After they had gone through the lot and rung for a porter to carry away -the litter of paper and boxes, they attacked the formidable pile of -letters and telegrams. - -Among the former were two offers from vaudeville managers, urging Joe -to go on the stage the coming winter. They offered him a guarantee of -five hundred dollars a week. They would prepare a monologue for him, -or, if he preferred to pair up with a partner, they would have a sketch -arranged for him. - -"That sounds awfully tempting, Joe," said Jim, as they looked up from -the letters they had been reading together. - -"It's a heap of money," agreed Joe, "and I do hate to pass it up. But -I won't accept. I'm not an actor and I know it and they know it. I'd -simply be capitalizing my popularity. I'd feel like a freak in a dime -museum." - -"How do you know you're not an actor?" asked Jim. "You might have it in -you. You never know till you try." - -But Joe shook his head. - -"No," he said, "there's no use kidding myself. And even if I could -make good, I wouldn't do it. You know what it did for Markwith the -season after he made his record of nineteen straight. He never was the -same pitcher after that. The late hours, the feverish atmosphere, the -irregular life don't do a ball player any good. They take all the vim -and sand out of him. No vaudeville for yours truly." - -"Well," said Jim, "you're the doctor. And I guess you're right. But it -certainly seems hard to let that good money get away when it's fairly -begging you to take it." - -The telegrams came from all over the country. A lot were from Joe's old -team-mates on the St. Louis club, including Rad Chase and Campbell. -Others were from newspaper publishers offering fancy prices if Joe would -write some articles for them, describing the games in the forthcoming -World Series. Joe knew perfectly well that this would entail no time -or labor on his part. Some bright reporter would actually write the -articles, and all Joe needed to do was to let his name be signed to them -as the author. But the practice was beginning to be frowned upon by -the baseball magnates, and it was in a certain sense a fraud upon the -public, so that Joe mentally decided in the negative. - -One telegram was far more precious to Joe than all the others put -together. It came from Clara, his only sister, to whom he was devotedly -attached, and was sent in the name of all the little family at -Riverside. Joe's eyes were a little moist as he read: - - "Dearest love from all of us, Joe. We are proud of you." - -For a long time Joe sat staring at the telegram, while Jim considerately -buried himself in the newspaper descriptions of yesterday's great game. - -How dear the home folks were! How their hearts were wrapped up in -him and his success! What a splendid, wholesome influence that cozy -little village home had been in his life. He thought of his patient, -hard-working father, his loving mother, his winsome sister. He thought -of their quiet, circumscribed life, shut out from the great currents of -the world with which he had become so familiar. - -They were proud of him! Yet all they could do was to read of his -triumphs. They had never seen him pitch. - -He took a sudden resolution. - -The home folks were in for one great, big, glorious fling! - - - - -CHAPTER V - -GETTING READY FOR THE FRAY - - -"Come along, Jim!" cried Joe, jumping to his feet. "Put down that old -paper and let's go up to the Polo Grounds. You know we've got to meet -McRae and the rest of the gang there at two o'clock, and it's almost one -now. We'll just have time to get a bite of lunch before we go." - -"I'm with you," responded Jim. - -They hurried through their lunch and took the train at the nearest -elevated station. - -"Some difference to-day from the way we felt when we were going -up yesterday, eh, Joe," grinned Jim, as he stretched out his legs -luxuriously and settled back in his seat. - -"About a million miles," assented Joe. "Then my heart was beating like a -triphammer. Then the work was all to do. Now it's done." - -"And well done, too, thanks to you," returned Jim. "Say, Joe, suppose -for a minute--just _suppose_ that the Chicagos had copped that game -yesterday." - -"Don't," protested Joe. "It gives me the cold shivers just to think of -it." - -When they entered the clubhouse, a roar of welcome greeted them from the -members of the team who were already there. They crowded round Baseball -Joe in jubilation, and the air was filled with a hubbub of exclamations. - -"Here's the man to whom the team owes fifty thousand dollars!" shouted -the irrepressible Larry Barrett, the second baseman, who had led the -league that year in batting. - -"All right," laughed Joe. "If you owe it to me, hand it over and I'll -put it in the bank." - -In the laugh that ensued, McRae and Robson, the inseparable manager and -trainer of the Giants, came hurrying up to Joe. Their faces were beaming -and they looked years younger, now that the tremendous strain of the -last few weeks of the league race had been taken from their shoulders. - -They shook hands warmly. - -"You're the real thing, Joe," cried Robson. - -"You won the flag for us," declared McRae. "That home run of yours was a -life saver. It brought home the bacon." - -Joe flushed with pleasure. Praise from these veterans meant something. - -"It took the whole nine to win for us," he said modestly. - -"Sure it did," agreed McRae. "The boys put up a corking good game. But -your pitching held Brennan's men down, and it was that scorching hit -that put on the finishing touch." - -"It was the trump that took the trick," supplemented Robson. - -Denton, the third baseman and wag of the team, stepped up and gravely -put his hands around Joe's head as though measuring it. - -"Not swelled a bit, boys," he announced to his grinning mates. "He can -wear the same size hat that he did yesterday." - -They were all so full of hilarity that it was hard to get down to -serious business, and McRae, who was as happy as a boy, made no attempt -at his usual rigid discipline. - -But when they had at last quieted down a little, he gathered them about -him for a talk about the forthcoming World Series. - -"You've done well, boys," he told them, "and I'm proud of you. You've -played the game to the limit and made a splendid fight. I don't believe -there's another team in the league that wouldn't have gone to pieces -if the same thing had happened to their crack pitcher that happened -to Hughson. It was a knockout blow, and I don't mind admitting to you -now that for a time my own heart was in my boots. But you stood the -gaff, and I want to thank you, both for the owners of the club and for -myself." - -There was a gratified murmur among the players, and then Larry shouted: - -"Three cheers for McRae, the best manager in the league!" - -The cheers were given with a will and the veteran's face grew red with -pleasure. - -"And three more for Robson, the king of trainers!" cried Jim. - -They were given with equal heartiness, and Robson waved his hand to them -with a grin. - -"I'm glad we all feel that way," resumed McRae, when the tumult had -subsided. "If at times I've been a bit hasty with you lads and given you -the rough side of my tongue, it's been simply because I was wild with -excitement and crazy to win. And now for the big fight that lies before -us. It's a great thing to be champions of the National League. But it's -a greater thing to be champions of the world." - -A rousing shout rose from the eager group. - -"Sure, we've got it copped already," cried Larry. - -McRae smiled. - -"That's the right spirit to tackle the job with," he replied, "but don't -let the idea run away with you that it's going to be an easy thing to -do. It isn't. Those American Leaguers are tough birds, and any one who -beats them will know he's been in a fight. - -"There used to be a time," he went on, "when the bulk of the talent was -in the National League. But it isn't so any longer. They have just as -good batting, just as good pitching and just as good fielding as we have. - -"Of course, we don't know yet just which team we'll have to face, but we -may know before night. If the Bostons win to-day that will settle it. -Even if they lose, provided the Athletics lose, too, the Red Sox will be -the champions. Of course, there's nothing sure in baseball, but all the -chances are in favor of the Bostons. - -"In any case, it will be an Eastern club, and that cuts out the matter -of the long jumps. But whichever one it happens to be, it'll prove a -hard nut to crack." - -"Nut-crackers is our middle name," murmured Denton. - -"You proved that yesterday," laughed McRae, "and you're going to have a -good chance to prove it again. - -"Just as soon as the American race is decided," he continued, "and it's -known in what city we are to play, the National Commission will have -a meeting to fix all the details of the World Series. If they follow -precedent, as they probably will, the first game will be appointed for -a week from this Friday. They'll toss a coin to see whether it shall be -here or in the other city. I'm rooting for it to be here. It'll give us -a better chance to win the first game if we play it on the home grounds, -and you know what it means to get the jump on the other fellows." - -"You bet we do!" went up in a chorus. - -"Just as soon as it is decided who our opponents are to be," the manager -resumed, "I'm going to send some of you fellows out as scouts to see -some of the practice games of the other fellows and get a line on their -style of play. You can pick up a lot of useful information that way, and -we've got so much at stake that we can't afford to overlook a single -point of the game." - -"How about our own practice?" asked Larry. - -"I was coming to that," replied McRae. "I'm going to get together -just as husky a bunch of sluggers and fielders as can be found in the -National League." - -He took a sheaf of telegrams from his pocket. - -"I've got a lot of wires here from every club in the league, offering -the services of any of their players I want," he said. "We've had our -own fight, and now that it's over they're all eager to help the National -League to down the American. It means a good deal to each of them to -have us come out winner. Even Brennan has offered to let me have some -of the Chicagos to practise against. I saw him at the hotel last night, -and, although of course he was sore that he didn't win yesterday, he -told me I could call upon him for any men I wanted." - -"He's a good sport," ejaculated Jim. - -"Sure he is," confirmed McRae, heartily. "He's a hard fighter but he's -as white as they make 'em." - -He consulted a list on which he had jotted down a few names in pencil. - -"How will this do for an All National team to practise against," he -asked. - - "Konetchky, First base. - Niehoff, Second base. - Wagner, Shortstop. - Zimmermann, Third base. - Wheat, Left field. - Carey, Center field. - Schulte, Right field. - Pfeffer, Alexander, Pitchers. - Archer, Gibson, Catchers." - -A murmur went up from the players. - -"Some sweet hitters!" exclaimed Markwith. - -"A bunch of fence breakers," echoed Jim. - -"They'll give you mighty good practice," grinned McRae. "If they can't -straighten out the curves of you twirlers, nobody can. I'll have them -all on here in a day or two, and then we'll start in training." - -The conference lasted till late in the afternoon, and just as it was -breaking up, a telegraphic report was handed to McRae. He scanned it -hastily. - -"That settles it!" he exclaimed. "Boston won to-day, three to two. We're -up against the Red Sox in the World Series!" - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -JOE GIVES FAIR WARNING - - -Although the news only confirmed what had been all along expected, it -was worth a great deal to the Giants to know certainly just whom they -would have to fight. Their enemy now was detached from the crowd and out -in the open. They could study him carefully and arrange a clear plan of -campaign. - -Joe and Jim were discussing the matter earnestly, as they passed out of -the Polo Grounds to go downtown. - -"Don't let's take the elevated," suggested Joe. "We haven't had much -exercise, and I want to stretch my legs a little." - -"I'm agreeable," replied Jim. "There's a cool breeze and it's a nice -night for walking. We can go part of the way on foot, anyway, and if we -feel like it we'll hoof it for the whole distance." - -They soon got below the Harlem River and before long found themselves -in the vicinity of Columbus Circle. They were passing one of the -fashionable cafés that abound in that quarter when the door opened and -a man came out. Joe caught a good look at his face, and a grim look came -into his eyes as he recognized Beckworth Fleming. - -Fleming saw him at the same time, and the eyes of the two men met in a -look of undisguised hostility. Then with an ugly sneer, Fleming remarked: - -"Ah, Mr. Matson, I believe. Or was it Mr. Buttinski? I'm not very good -at remembering names." - -"You'll remember mine if I have to write it on you with my knuckles," -returned Joe, brought to a white heat by the insult and the remembrance -of the occurrence of the day before. - -"Now, my good fellow----" began Fleming, a look of alarm replacing his -insolent expression. - -"Don't 'good fellow' me," replied Joe. "I owe you a thrashing and I'm -perfectly able to pay my debts. You'd have gotten it yesterday if we'd -been alone." - -"I--I don't understand you," stammered Fleming, looking about him for -some way of escape from the sinewy figure that confronted him. - -"Well, I'm going to make myself so clear that even your limited -intelligence can understand me," said Joe, grimly. "You keep away from -the Marlborough Hotel. Is that perfectly plain?" - -Before the glow in Joe's eyes, Fleming retreated a pace or two, but as -he caught sight of a policeman sauntering up toward them, his courage -revived. - -"I'll do nothing of the kind," he snarled. - -"You will if you value that precious skin of yours. I've given you fair -warning, and you'll find that I keep my word." - -By this time the officer had come up close to them, and Fleming, -immensely relieved, turned to him as an ally. - -"Officer, this man has been threatening me with personal violence," he -complained. - -The policeman sized him up quizzically. Then he looked at Joe and his -face lighted up. - -"Good evening, Mr. Matson. That was a great game you pitched yesterday," -he ejaculated in warm admiration. - -"I tell you he threatened me," repeated Fleming, loudly. - -The officer smiled inquiringly at Joe. - -"Just a trifling personal matter," Joe explained quietly. "He insulted -me and I called him down." - -The policeman turned to Fleming. - -"Beat it," he commanded briefly. "You're blocking up the sidewalk." - -Fleming bristled up like a turkey cock. - -"I'll have your number," he said importantly. "I'll----" - -"G'wan," broke in the officer, "or I'll fan you. Don't make me tell you -twice." - -He emphasized the command by a poke in the back with his club that took -away the last shred of Fleming's dignity, and he retreated, with one -last malignant look at Joe. - -"I know his kind," said the officer, complacently. "One of them rich -papa's boys with more money than brains. Sorry he bothered you, Mr. -Matson. Are youse boys goin' to lick them Bostons?" - -"We're going to make a try at it," laughed Joe. - -"You will if you can pitch all the games," rejoined the policeman, -admiringly. "It cert'nly was a sin an' a shame the way you trimmed them -Chicagos. You own New York to-day, Mr. Matson." - -The chums bade him a laughing good-night and resumed their interrupted -stroll. - -"Who was that fellow, anyway?" asked Jim in curiosity. - -"His name is Fleming," answered Joe. "That's about all I know of him." - -"How long have you known him?" - -"Since yesterday." - -"What was the row all about, anyway?" - -"Oh, nothing much," evaded Joe. "I guess we just don't like the color of -each other's eyes." - -Jim laughed and did not press the question. But he had heard the warning -to keep away from the Marlborough Hotel, and could hazard a vague guess -as to the cause of the quarrel. - -At their hotel both Joe and Jim found a letter from the owners of the -New York Club waiting for them. In addition to the informal thanks -conveyed to the team in general by McRae, they had taken this means of -thanking each player personally. It was a gracious and earnest letter, -and wound up by inviting them to a big banquet and theatre party that -was to be given by the management to the players in celebration of their -great feat in winning the National League championship for New York. - -But Joe's letter also contained a little slip from the Treasurer, to -which a crisp, blue, oblong paper was attached. Joe unfolded it in some -wonderment and ran his eyes over it hastily. - -It was a check for a thousand dollars, and on the accompanying slip was -written: - - "In payment of bonus as per contract for winning twenty - games during the season." - -Joe grabbed Jim and waltzed him about the room, much to Barclay's -bewilderment. - -"What are you trying to do?" he gasped. "Is it a new tango step or what?" - -"Glory, hallelujah!" ejaculated Joe. "Yesterday and to-day are sure my -lucky days." - -He thrust the check before his friend's eyes. - -"Great Scott!" exclaimed Jim. "It never rains but it pours. If you fell -overboard, you'd come up with a fish in your mouth." - -"It sure is like finding money," chortled Joe. "Everything seems to be -coming my way." - -"You'll be lending money to Rockefeller if this sort of thing keeps on," -Jim grinned. "But after all it can't be such a surprise. You must have -known that you had won twenty games." - -"That's just it," explained Joe. "I wasn't sure of it at all. I figured -that with yesterday's game I had nineteen. But there was that game in -August, you remember, when I relieved Markwith in the sixth inning. -We won the game, but there were some fine points in it which made it -doubtful whether it should be credited to Markwith or me. I had a tip -that the official scorers were inclined to give it to Markwith, and so I -had kissed the game good-bye. But it must be that they've decided in my -favor after all and notified the New York Club to that effect." - -"That's bully, old man," cried Jim, enthusiastically. "And you can't say -that they've lost any time in getting it to you." - -"No," replied Joe. "Ordinarily, they'd settle with me on the regular -salary day. But I suppose they feel so good over getting the pennant -that they take this means of showing it." - -"They can well afford to do it," said Jim. "Your pitching has brought -it into the box office twenty times over. Still it's nice and white -of them just the same to be so prompt. That's one thing that you have -to hand to the Giant management. There isn't a club in the league that -treats its players better." - -"You're just right," assented Joe, warmly, "and it makes me feel as -though I'd pitch my head off to win, not only for my own sake but for -theirs." - -"You certainly have had a dandy year," mused Jim. "With your regular -salary of forty-five hundred and this check in addition you've grabbed -fifty-five hundred so far. And you'll get anywhere from two to four -thousand more in the World Series." - -"I haven't any kick coming," agreed Joe. "It was a lucky day for me when -I joined the Giants." - -"I suppose you'll soak that away in the bank to-morrow, you bloated -plutocrat," laughed Jim. - -"Not a bit of it," Joe answered promptly. "To-morrow night that money -will be on its way to Riverside as fast as the train can carry it." - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE THOUSAND DOLLAR BANKBILL - - -The little town of Riverside had been buzzing with excitement ever -since the news had flashed over the wires that the Giants had won the -championship of the National League. On a miniature scale, it was as -much stirred up as New York itself had been at the glorious victory. - -For was not Joe Matson, who had twirled that last thrilling game, a son -of Riverside? Had he not grown up among the friends and neighbors who -took such pride and interest in his career? Had he not, as Sol Cramer, -the village oracle and the owner of the hotel, declared, "put Riverside -on the map?" - -There had been a big crowd at the telegraph office in the little town on -the day that the final game had been played, and cheer after cheer had -gone up as each inning showed that Joe was holding the Chicagos down. -And when in that fateful ninth his home run had "sewed up" the victory, -the enthusiasm had broken all bounds. - -An impromptu procession had been formed, the village band had been -pressed into service, the stores had been cleared out of all the -fireworks left over after the Fourth of July, and practically the whole -population of the town had gathered on the street in front of the Matson -house where they held a hilarious celebration. - -The quiet little family found itself suddenly in the limelight, and were -almost as much embarrassed as they were delighted by the glory that -Joe's achievement had brought to them. - -The crowd dispersed at a late hour, promising that this was not a -circumstance to what would happen when Joe himself should come home -after the end of the World Series. - -Had any one suggested that possibly the Giants would lose out in that -Series, he would have stood a good chance of being mobbed. To that crowd -of shouting enthusiasts, the games were already stowed in the New York -bat bag. How could they lose when Joe Matson was on their team? - -In the Matson household joy reigned supreme. Joe had always been their -pride and idol. He had been a good son and brother, and his weekly -letters home had kept them in touch with every step of his career. They -had followed with breathless interest his upward march in his profession -during this year with the Giants, but had hardly dared to hope that his -season would wind up in such a blaze of glory. - -Now they were happy beyond all words. They fairly devoured the papers -that for the next day or two were full of Joe's exploits. They could not -stir out of the house without being overwhelmed with congratulations -and questions. Clara, Joe's sister, a pretty, winsome girl, declared -laughingly that there could hardly have been more fuss made if Joe had -been elected President of the United States. - -"I'm sure he'd make a very good one if he had," said Mrs. Matson, -complacently, as she bit off a thread of her sewing. - -"You dear, conceited Momsey," said Clara, kissing her. - -Mr. Matson smiled over his pipe. He was a quiet, undemonstrative man, -but in his heart he was intensely proud of this stalwart son of his. - -"How I wish we could have seen that game!" remarked Clara, wistfully. -"Just think, Momsey, of sitting in a box at the Polo Grounds and seeing -that enormous crowd go crazy over Joe, _our_ Joe." - -"I'm afraid my heart would almost break with pride and happiness," -replied her mother, taking off her glasses and wiping her eyes. - -"Of course it's great, reading all about it in the papers and seeing the -pictures," continued Clara, "but that isn't like actually being there -and hearing the shouts and all that. But I'm a very wicked girl to -want anything more than I've got," she went on brightly. "Now I'm going -to run down to the post-office. The mail must be in by this time and I -shouldn't wonder if I'd find a letter from Joe." - -She put on her hat and left the house. Mrs. Matson looked inquiringly at -her husband. - -"You heard what Clara said, dear," she observed. "I don't suppose -there's any way in the world we could manage it, is there?" - -"I'm afraid not," returned Mr. Matson. "I've had to spend more money -than I expected in perfecting that invention of mine. But there's -nothing in the world that I would like more than to see Joe pitch, if it -were only a single game." - -Clara soon reached the little post-office and asked for the Matson mail. -There were several letters in their box, but none from Joe. - -She was much disappointed, as in Joe's last telegram he had told her -that a letter was on the way and to look out for it. - -She had turned away and was going out of the office, when the postmaster -called her back. - -"Just wait a minute," he said. "I see I've got something for you here in -the registered mail." - -He handed her a letter which Clara joyfully saw was addressed in Joe's -handwriting. - -"It's directed to your mother," the postmaster went on, "but of course -it will be all right if you sign for it." - -Clara eagerly signed the official receipt and hurried home with her -precious letter. - -"Did you get one from Joe?" asked her mother, eagerly. - -"There wasn't anything from him in the box," said Clara, trying to look -glum. Then as she saw her mother's face fall, she added gaily: "But -here's one that the postmaster handed me. It came in the registered -mail." - -She handed it over to her mother, who took it eagerly. - -"Hurry up and open it, Momsey!" cried Clara, fairly dancing with -eagerness. "I'm just dying to know what Joe has to say." - -Mr. Matson laid aside his pipe and came over to his wife. She tore open -the letter with fingers that trembled. - -Something crisp and yellow fluttered out and fell on the table. Clara's -nimble fingers swooped down upon it. - -"Why, it's a bankbill!" she exclaimed as she unfolded it. "A ten dollar -bill it looks like. No," as her eyes grew larger, "it's more than that. -It's a hundred--Why, why," she stammered, "it's _a thousand dollar -bill_!" - -[Illustration: "WHY, WHY," SHE STAMMERED, "IT'S A THOUSAND DOLLAR BILL!"] - -"Goodness sakes!" exclaimed her mother. "It can't be. There aren't any -bills as big as that." - -Mr. Matson took it and scrutinized it closely. - -"That's what it is," he pronounced in a voice that trembled a little. -"It's a thousand dollar bill." - -The members of the little family stared at each other. None of them had -ever seen a bill like that before. They could hardly believe their eyes. -They thought that they were dreaming. - -Mrs. Matson began to cry. - -"That blessed, blessed boy!" she sobbed. "That blessed, darling boy!" - -Clara's eyes, too, were full of tears, and Mr. Matson blew his nose with -astonishing vigor. - -But they were happy tears that did not scald or sting, and in a few -minutes they had recovered their equanimity to some degree. - -"What on earth can it all mean?" asked Mrs. Matson, as she put on her -glasses again. - -"Let's read the letter and find out," urged Clara. - -"You read it, Clara," said her mother. "I'm such a big baby to-day that -I couldn't get through with it." - -Clara obeyed. - -The letter was not very long, for Joe had had to dash it off hurriedly, -but they read a good deal more between the lines than was written. - - "Dearest Momsey," the communication ran, "I am writing this - letter in a rush, as I'm fearfully busy just now, getting - ready for the World Series. Of course, you've read by this time - all about the last game that won us the pennant. I had good - luck and the boys supported me well so that I pulled through - all right. - - "Now don't think, Momsey, when you see the enclosed bill - that I've been cracking a bank or making counterfeit money. - I send the money in a single bill so that it won't make the - registered letter too bulky. Dad can get it changed into small - bills at the bank. - - "You remember the clause in my contract by which I was to - get a thousand dollars extra if I won twenty games during the - season? Well, that last game just made the twentieth, and the - club handed the money over in a hurry. And in just as much of a - hurry I'm handing it over to the dearest mother any fellow ever - had. - - "Now, Momsey, I want you and Dad and Clara to shut up the - house, jump into some good clothes and hustle on here to New - York just as fast as steam will bring you. You're going to see - the World Series, take in the sights of New York and Boston, - and have the time of your life. You're going to have one big - _ga-lorious spree_! - - "Now notice what I've said, Momsey--_spree_. Don't begin - to figure on how little money you can do it with. You've been - trying to save money all your life. This one time I want you - to _spend_ it. Doll yourself up without thinking of expense, - and see that that pretty sister of mine has the best clothes - that money can buy. Don't put up lunches to eat on the way. - Live on the fat of the land in the dining cars. Don't come in - day coaches, but get lower berths in the Pullmans. Make the - Queen of Sheba look like thirty cents. I want you, Momsey dear, - to have an experience that you can look back upon for all your - life. - - "I've engaged a suite of rooms for you in the Marlborough - Hotel--a living room, two bedrooms and a private bath. Reggie - Varley and Mabel are stopping there now, and they'll be - delighted to see you. They often speak of the good times they - had with you when they were at Riverside. And you know how fond - Clara and Mabel are of each other. - - "Tell Sis that Jim Barclay, my chum, has seen her picture and - is crazy to meet her. He's a Princeton man, a splendid fellow, - and I wouldn't mind a bit having him for a brother-in-law." - -"The idea!" exclaimed Clara, tossing her pretty head and blushing like a -rose, but looking not a bit displeased, nevertheless. - - "Now don't lose a minute, Momsey, for the time is short and - the Series begins next week. You'll have to do some tall - hustling. Wire me what train you'll take, and I'll be there - with bells on to meet you and take you to the hotel. - - "Am feeling fine. Best love to Dad and Sis and lots for - yourself from - - "Your loving son, - - "JOE." - -There was silence in the room for a moment after Clara finished reading. -They looked at each other with hearts beating fast and eyes shining. - -"New York, Boston, the World Series!" Clara gasped in delight. "Pinch -me, Dad, to see if I'm dreaming! Oh, Momsey!" she exclaimed as she -danced around the room, "Joe put it just right. It's going to be a -'_ga-lorious spree_!'" - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -RECKLESS DRIVING - - -In New York, the preparation for the World Series was rapidly taking -form. Little else was thought or spoken of. Pictures of the teams and -players usurped the front pages of the newspapers, crowding all other -news into the background. For the time being the ballplayer was king. - -It was generally agreed by the experts that the contest would be close. -Neither side could look for a walkover. The fight would be for blood -from the very start. - -On paper the teams seemed pretty evenly matched. If the Red Sox were -a little quicker in fielding, the Giants seemed to have "the edge" on -their opponents in batting. It was felt that the final decision would be -made in the pitcher's box. - -And here the "dope" favored the Red Sox. This was due chiefly to the -accident that had befallen Hughson. Had that splendid veteran been -in his usual shape, it was conceded that New York ought to win and -win handsomely. For Boston could not show a pair to equal Hughson and -Matson, although the general excellence of their staff was very high. - -But with Hughson out of the Series, it looked as though Joe's shoulders -would have to bear the major part of the pitching burden; and though -those shoulders were sturdy, no one man could carry so heavy a load as -that would be. - -Thus the problem of New York's success seemed to resolve itself into -this: Would Hughson have so far recovered as to take part in the games? -And behind this was still another question: Even if he should take part, -would he be up to his usual form after the severe ordeal through which -he had passed? - -So great was the anxiety on this score that almost every new edition -of the afternoon papers made a point of publishing the very latest -news of the great pitcher's condition. Most of these were reassuring, -for Hughson really was making remarkable progress, and it goes without -saying that, regardless of cost, he was receiving the very best -attention from the most skilful specialists that could be secured. - -In the meantime the National Commission--the supreme court in -baseball--had met in conclave at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. -They really had little to do, except to reaffirm the rules which had -governed previous Series and had been found to work well in practice. - -The Series was to consist of seven games, to be played alternately on -succeeding days in the two cities. The place where the games were to -start would be decided by the toss of a coin. If rain interfered with -any of the games, the game was to be played in the same city on the -first fair day. - -The Series was to finish when either of the teams had won four games. -Only in the first four games played were the players to share in the -money paid to see them. This provision was made so that there should be -no temptation for the players to "spin out" the Series in order to share -additional receipts. It was up to each team to win four straight games -if it could. - -Of the money taken in at these first four games, ten per cent. was to go -to the National Commission and ten per cent. into the clubs' treasuries. -The balance was to be divided between the two teams in the proportion of -sixty per cent. to the winner and forty per cent. to the loser. - -The players had no financial interest whatever in any money taken in at -other games, which went to the clubs themselves, less the percentage of -the National Commission. - -"Hurrah!" cried Jim Barclay in delight, as he broke into the rooms -occupied by Joe and himself. - -"What's the matter?" asked Joe, looking up. "Dropped into a fortune? Got -money from home?" - -"We've won the toss of the coin!" ejaculated Jim. "New York gets the -first game." - -"Bully!" cried Joe. "That's all to the good. That's the first break in -the game and it's come our way. Let's hope that luck will stay with us -all through." - -"And just as we supposed, the first game will start on Friday," -continued Jim. "So that we'll have about a week for practice before we -have to buckle to the real work." - -"McRae told me this morning that he had almost all the practice team -together now, and that we'd start to playing against them on Monday," -said Joe. - -"It's up to us to make the most of this little breathing spell, then," -returned Jim. "I think I'll take a little run down to the beach -to-morrow. Care to come along?" - -"I've got an engagement myself to-morrow," Joe replied. "I'm going for -an automobile ride with Reggie Varley and Miss Varley. By the way, Jim, -why don't you come along with us? Reggie told me to bring along a friend -if I cared to. There's plenty of room, and he has a dandy auto. Flies -like a bird. Come along." - -"Where are you going?" - -"Out on Long Island somewhere. Probably stop at Long Beach for dinner." - -"Sure, I'll come," said Jim readily. "But don't think I'm not on to your -curves, you old rascal. You want me to engage Reggie in conversation so -that you can have Miss Varley all to yourself." - -"Nonsense!" disclaimed Joe, flushing a trifle. - -"Well, then," said the astute Jim, "I'll let you have the front seat -with Reggie, while I sit back in the tonneau." - -"Not on your life you won't!" said Joe, driven out into the open. - -"All right," grinned Jim resignedly. "I'll be the goat. When do we -start?" - -"Reggie will have the car up in front of the Marlborough at about ten, -he said. We'll have a good early start and make a day of it." - -"All right," said Jim. "Let's root for good weather." - -They could not have hoped for a finer day than that which greeted them -on the following morning. The sun shone brightly, but there was just -enough fall crispness to make the air fresh and delicious. - -Reggie was on time, nor did Mabel avail herself of the privilege of her -sex and keep them waiting. The girl looked bewitching in her new fall -costume and the latest thing in auto toggery, and her rosy cheeks and -sparkling eyes drew Joe more deeply than ever into the toils. Jim's -mischievous glance at them as they settled back in the tonneau while he -took his seat beside Reggie, left no doubt in his own mind how matters -stood between them. - -Whatever else Reggie lacked, he was a master hand at the wheel, and he -wound his way in and out of the thronging traffic with the eye and hand -of an expert. They soon reached and crossed the Queensboro Bridge, and -then Reggie put on increased speed and the swift machine darted like a -swallow along one of the magnificent roads in which the island abounds. -Beautiful Long Island lay before them, dotted with charming homes and -rich estates, fertile beyond description, swept by ocean breezes, -redolent of the balsam of the pines, "fair as a garden of the Lord." - -Jim, like the good fellow and true friend that he was, absorbed Reggie's -attention--that is, as much of it as could be taken from the road that -unrolled like a ribbon beneath the flying car--and Joe and Mabel were -almost as much alone as though they had had the car to themselves. And -it was very evident that neither was bored with the other's society. -Joe's hand may have brushed against Mabel's occasionally, but that was -doubtless due to the swaying of the car. At any rate, Mabel did not seem -to mind. - -At the rate at which they were going, it was only a little while before -they heard the sound of the breakers, and the great hotel at Long Beach -loomed up before them. - -Reggie put up his car and they spent a glorious hour on the beach, -watching the white-capped waves as they rushed in like race horses with -crested manes and thundered on the sands. Then they had a choice and -carefully selected dinner served in full view of the sea. - -"Some hotel, this," remarked Reggie as he gazed about him. "Make a dent -in a man's pocketbook to live here right along." - -"Yes," agreed Jim. "They give you the best there is, but you have to pay -the price. Reminds me of a story that used to be told of a famous hotel -in Washington. The proprietor was known among statesmen all over the -country for the way he served beefsteak smothered in onions. One man who -had tried the dish advised his friend to do the same the next time he -went to Washington." - -"But onions!" exclaimed his friend with a shudder. "Think of one's -breath." - -"Oh, that's all right," replied the other. "When you get the bill it -will take your breath away." - -Reggie laughed, and, as the afternoon was getting on, ordered the car to -be brought around. They had thought to go out along the south shore as -far as Patchogue, before turning about for home. - -They were bowling along on the Merrick Road in the vicinity of Bay -Shore, when an automobile behind them came rushing past at a reckless -rate of speed. It almost grazed Reggie's car, and the quick turn he was -obliged to make came within an ace of sending the car into a ditch. - -"My word!" cried the indignant Reggie. "Those bally beggars ought to be -pinched. A little more and they'd have smashed us." - -"Half drunk, most likely," commented Jim. "They'll kill somebody yet if -they keep that up. By Jove, I believe they've done it now!" - -From up the road came a chorus of yells and shouts. They saw the flying -automobile hesitate for a moment and then plunge on, leaving a limp and -motionless form sprawled out in the road behind it. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -A BRUTAL ACT - - -There was a shout from the men and a scream of terror from Mabel. - -"Oh, hurry, hurry!" she urged. "Perhaps they've killed him!" - -Reggie needed no urging, and in a moment more they had come within a few -feet of the figure that still lay without motion or any sign of life. - -Joe and Jim were out of the car like a flash and ran to the side of the -victim. - -Reggie turned the car into a piece of open woodland at the side of the -road, and then he and Mabel descended and joined the others. - -The man who had been hit seemed to be nearly seventy years old. His hair -was silvery white, except where it was dabbled with blood that flowed -from a wound in his head near the left temple. His clothing was shabby -and covered with dust. A G. A. R. button was on the lapel of his coat. - -As Joe knelt down and lifted the man's head to his knee, the latter -opened his eyes and gave utterance to a groan. - -Jim, who had a rough knowledge of surgery from his experience with the -accidents that are constantly happening on the ball field, ran his hands -deftly over the prostrate form. - -"Don't seem to be any bones broken," he announced after a moment. "And -that cut on the head seems to have come when he struck the road. But -let's carry him over to this patch of grass and bind up his head to stop -that bleeding." - -The handkerchiefs of the party were called into requisition and torn -into strips from which a bandage was improvised. There was a small brook -near by, and Mabel hurried to this for water, with which she bathed the -man's head and face. - -"We'd better get him into the car and carry him on to Bay Shore," said -Joe, when they had done all they could. "I don't imagine he's fatally -hurt, although at his age the shock may make it serious." - -Just then the man stirred feebly and his eyes opened. There was a -puzzled expression as he gazed into the faces surrounding him, and then -a look of comprehension as he recalled the fact of the accident. - -"Was it your car that hit me?" he asked. "But no, I know it wasn't," -he added, as he caught sight of Mabel. "There wasn't any woman in that -machine." - -"Don't try to talk," admonished Joe gently. "You've had a bad shake-up, -but there are no bones broken and you'll be as good as ever in a little -while." - -"They didn't give me a dog's chance," the old man murmured wearily. -"They must have seen me coming, but they didn't honk their horn or -give me any warning. They were fooling and laughing, and the car was -zigzagging as though the driver was half drunk. An old man like me -doesn't count, I guess, with a bunch of joy riders. Did they stop -afterwards?" - -"Not a second," declared Jim angrily. "They rushed on without even -looking behind. They're not much better than a bunch of murderers." - -"I wish we'd got their number," Joe gritted savagely between his teeth. -"I tried to, but they were raising such a cloud of dust that I only -caught the numbers seven and four as part of their license number. And -that isn't enough to go by." - -"They ought to be made to pay handsomely for the outrage," declared -Mabel indignantly. - -"We'll telephone to the towns ahead when we get to Bay Shore, describing -them as well as we can, and try to have them arrested," said Joe. "But -now we must get to a doctor or a hospital. This man ought to be attended -to at once." - -Joe and Jim lifted the old man carefully and placed him, half sitting, -half lying, in the tonneau of the car. The others crowded in as they -were able, and Reggie threw in his clutch and started on the way to Bay -Shore. - -Here on making inquiries they found that there was a large hospital at -Islip, not far away, and in a few minutes they were at the doors of the -big institution. - -A preliminary examination showed that the wound on the head was a -superficial one and that the old man was suffering chiefly from -shock. He was put to bed in a cool private room that Joe made himself -responsible for, and the doctor predicted that in a few days he would be -on his feet again and able to return to his home. - -This, they had learned from him, was Boston. His name was Louis -Anderson. He was in poor circumstances and his visit to Long Island -had been for the purpose of disposing of a tiny bit of property which -represented his last earthly possession. - -"I can't thank you boys enough," he said, as they at last prepared to -leave. "I only wish there was something I could do for you in return. I -don't suppose you often get to Boston." - -"We expect to get there several times within the next week or two," -remarked Joe, as he looked at Jim with an amused twinkle in his eye. - -"Then you must be traveling men," suggested Anderson. "What line are you -in?" - -"The baseball line," grinned Jim. - -"And you're going to Boston?" repeated Anderson. "Why, then you must be -members of the Giants and going to play in the World Series." - -"Guessed it right," Jim responded. - -"If I didn't hate to root against Boston, I'd almost wish you'd win, -after all you've done for me," Louis Anderson smiled feebly. - -"We're going to try mighty hard," Joe assured him. - -"They say that fellow Matson of yours is the king of them all," the old -man went on. - -"Oh, I don't know," responded Joe gravely. "I've known him to pitch some -rotten ball." - -They shook hands and went away, promising to keep in touch with him and -do all they could to find the reckless automobilists who had caused his -injuries. - -But although they gave the facts to the village authorities and had a -notice sent out to other towns in the car's path, they had little hope -that anything would come of it. - -"I guess they've made a clean getaway of it," judged Jim, as they once -more headed toward the city. - -"It's a burning shame," commented Mabel. "He seems to be such a nice old -man, too. The idea of those men not even stopping to see what they could -do for him." - -"He might have died in the road for all they cared," declared Reggie -indignantly. "A good long jail sentence would teach those bounders a -little decency, by Jove!" - -"I'd like to have them soaked heavily for damages," observed Joe. "I -don't think the old man would have much trouble in getting a heavy -verdict in his favor from a jury. And I guess the poor old fellow needs -all he can get." - -The knowledge, however, that the accident would not prove fatal and -the consciousness that they had done all they could to help, served to -dissipate the shock caused by the affair, and before long they were -chatting as merrily as ever. So that when at last they parted at the -doors of the Marlborough their only feeling of regret was that the day -was ended. As for Joe and Mabel, snugly ensconced in the tonneau, they -would have been willing to ride on forever. Joe said as much, and Mabel -had acquiesced with her eyes if not in words. - -It was a discordant note, therefore, when as the chums were going toward -their rooms they almost ran into "Bugs" Hartley, the former pitcher of -the Giants, who had been released earlier in the season for dissipation. - -That erratic individual, whose venom against Joe had once led him to -drug his coffee so that our hero might be unable to pitch, had rapidly -gone from bad to worse. He had exceptional ability when he kept sober, -and even after his release by McRae he could have found some other -manager willing to give him a chance if he had kept away from drink. -But he had gone steadily downhill until he was now a saloon lounger and -hanger-on. - -He had been drinking heavily now, as was evident by a glance at his -bleared face, and had reached the ugly stage of intoxication. His former -team mates stepped back as he lurched against them. - -"Hello, Hartley," said Joe not unkindly, for despite his just cause for -resentment, he was shocked and sorry to see how low "Bugs" had fallen. - -"Don't you talk to me!" snarled Hartley viciously. "You got me off the -team and knocked me out of my chance of World Series money." - -"You're wrong there, Bugs," returned Joe, keeping his temper. "I did -everything I could to help you. When you were drunk in St. Louis, Jim -and I smuggled you off to bed so that McRae wouldn't find it out. You're -your own worst enemy, Bugs." - -"Why don't you brace up, Bugs, and cut out the booze?" broke in Jim. -"You've got lots of good pitching left in you yet." - -"Quit your preaching, you guys," growled Hartley thickly. "It doesn't -work with me. You've done me dirt and I'm going to get even with you yet -and don't you forget it." - -He moved away unsteadily, and the chums watched him with a sentiment of -pity. - -"Poor old Bugs," remarked Jim. "He can't bat successfully against the -Demon Rum." - -"No," assented Joe. "I'm afraid he'll be struck out." - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE OPENING GUN - - -The practice games of the next few days were by no means tame affairs, -even though there was nothing especially at stake. - -The All-National team was, as has been seen, chosen from among the stars -of the profession, and though they lacked, of course, the team work of -the Giants, they gave the latter all they could do to hold their own. -They had been ordered to "tear things wide open" and play the game for -all it was worth. - -This they proceeded to do with such effect that when the time for the -great Series arrived the Giants had been put on their mettle and were at -the very top of their form. - -It had been an especially busy week for Joe. He had spent one day in -Boston, to which city he had run over on the midnight train at the -direction of McRae, in order that he might observe the practice of the -Red Sox and get a line on their batters. He had been impressed but not -dismayed by their show of strength, and had come back knowing that his -work was cut out for him. - -He had taken advantage, too, of his presence in Boston to arrange for -rooms for his family, as well as for Reggie and Mabel, as they expected -to go back and forth during the fateful week the Series lasted on the -same trains taken by the two teams. - -Thursday was made memorable to the New Yorks by the appearance of -Hughson. There was an affectionate roar and rush for the veteran as he -came into the clubhouse among his adoring mates. - -To the torrent of questions poured out on him as to his condition, he -responded that he was feeling fine physically, but was not yet sure of -his arm. His shoulder was still somewhat lame and tender, but he hoped -to get into some of the games later on. He tossed the ball about for a -little while, but made no attempt to cut loose with any curves or fast -ones. But the very sight of their crack pitcher once more in uniform was -a tonic and inspiration to his mates, and they put an amount of "ginger" -into their practice game that afternoon that was full of promise to -McRae and Robson, as they watched their men from the side lines. - -"I think we're going to cop the Series, Robbie," declared the former -when the practice was over. "The men are as full of pep as so many -colts." - -"They certainly look good to-day, John," was the response. "But I'd give -a thousand dollars out of my pocket at this minute if Hughson was in -shape." - -That evening Joe's parents and sister reached New York. Joe had received -a wire telling him on what train they were coming and was at the station -to meet them, full of affection and impatience. - -He scanned eagerly the long train as it rolled into the station. Then he -detected the familiar figures descending the steps of a Pullman coach, -and in a moment more there was a joyful family reunion. - -"Momsey--Dad!" he cried, grasping his father's hand and kissing his -mother, who had all she could do to keep from throwing her arms around -his neck then and there. "And Sis, you darling! Sweet and pretty as a -picture!" he exclaimed, holding her out at arms' length so that he could -look at her sparkling face. "Poor, poor Jim!" he teased. "I see his -finish!" - -Clara's color deepened, but before she could retort, Joe was hurrying -the little party through the crowd to the street, where he hailed a -taxicab and had them whirled away to their rooms at the Marlborough. - -He had arranged to have a nice supper served in their suite that night, -as he knew that they would be tired and excited after their long -journey. So they dined cosily and happily, and the hour or two of dear -familiar talk that followed marked one of the happiest experiences the -united little family had ever known. - -But Joe could not stay nearly as long as he wanted to, for to-morrow -was the day of the first game and he had to retire early so as to be in -perfect condition. - -McRae had told Joe that afternoon that he was slated to pitch the -opening game. - -"I'm banking on you, Joe," the manager told him. "You've never failed me -yet, and I don't think you'll do it now. If you fall down, we're dead -ones." - -"I'll do my very best," declared Joe earnestly. - -"Your best is good enough for any one," replied McRae. "Just show them -the same stuff you did the Chicagos in that last game and I won't ask -for anything more." - -The next morning dawned bright and clear, and the city was agog with -expectation. New York, usually so indifferent to most things, had gone -wild over the Series. The morning papers bore the flaring headlines: -"_Matson Pitches the First Game._" Crowds gathered early about the -bulletin boards. Long before the time set for the game, cars and trains -disgorged their living loads at the gates of the Polo Grounds, and -before the teams came out for practice the grandstands and bleachers -were black with swarming, jostling humanity. The metropolis was simply -baseball mad. - -Within the gates, hundreds of special officers lined the field to keep -order and prevent the overflow back of centerfield from encroaching on -the playing space. The Seventh Regiment Band played popular airs. Movie -men were here, there and everywhere, getting snapshots of the scene. -The diamond lay like so much green velvet under the bright sun, and the -freshly marked white base lines stood out in dazzling contrast. It was a -scene to stir to the depths any lover of the great national game. - -There was a thunderous roar as the teams marched down from the -clubhouse, and there were bursts of applause for the sparkling plays -that marked the preliminary practice. Then the field was cleared, the -gong rang and the umpire, taking off his hat and facing the stands, -bellowed in stentorian tones: - -"Ladies and gentlemen: The batteries for to-day's game are Fraser and -Thompson for Boston, Matson and Mylert for New York." - -Loud applause followed, and this grew into a cyclone when Joe took the -ball tossed to him and walked toward the pitcher's box. - -"Matson! Matson! Matson!" yelled the crowd. - -Joe cast a swift look at the box where his family were seated with Mabel -and Reggie. Then he touched a little glove that rested in a pocket of -his uniform. - -The head of the Red Sox batting order had taken up his position at the -plate. - -"Play ball!" called the umpire. - -Joe straightened up to his full height, wound up deliberately, and the -ball shot over the corner of the plate like a bullet. The batter lunged -at it savagely, but only hit the air. - -The crowd yelled its delight at the auspicious beginning. - -"That's the way, Joe!" - -"He can't touch you!" - -"Missed it by a mile!" - -A ball followed, then a foul, then another ball, and a final strike that -sent the batter discomfited to the bench. - -The next man up raised a towering skyscraper, which Larry gathered in -without moving from his tracks, and the third man died, as had the -first, on strikes. - -The half inning had been short and sharp, and Joe met a tempest of -encouraging cheers as he walked in to the bench. - -"You've got their number, old man!" - -"They'll break their backs trying to hit you!" - -"Some bad pitching, I don't think!" - -But Joe had had too much experience to be betrayed into any undue -elation. There were eight innings more to come and in that time many -things might happen. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -SNATCHED FROM THE FIRE - - -Not a bit dismayed by their unpromising beginning, the Red Sox took -the field, and speedily showed that they too could uncork a brand of -pitching that was not to be despised. - -The best that Burkett could do was to raise a "Texas Leaguer" that Berry -gobbled in without any trouble. Larry chopped an easy one to Girdner, -who got him at first with plenty to spare. Denton dribbled a slow roller -that Fraser gathered in on the first base line, tagging the runner as he -passed. - -And now it was the turn of the Boston enthusiasts, of whom thousands had -made the trip to see their favorites play, to yell frantically for the -Red Sox. - -Joe realized at once that he had a foeman in Fraser who was worthy of -his steel, and knew that all his skill and cunning would be required to -win. - -For the next two innings the sides were mowed down with unfailing -regularity, and not a man on either side reached first base. It looked -as though the game were going to resolve itself into a pitchers' duel, -and the crowds were breathless with excitement as batter after batter -was sent to the bench. - -The Giants broke the ice in the fourth. Burkett scorched a single to -right, and by daring base-running stretched it to a double, as Cooper -was slow in making the return. Barrett sacrificed him to third. Fraser -put on steam and fanned Denton on strikes. Then Willis came to the -rescue with a sizzling hit just inside the third base line, and Burkett -came galloping over the plate with the first run of the game. - -The crowd rose and cheered wildly, and the Giants from their dugout -threw their caps in the air and gathered around Burkett in jubilation. -It was only one run, but the way the game was going that run looked as -big as a mountain. - -Willis was caught napping off first by a snap throw from Thompson to -Hobbs, and the inning ended. - -The fifth was devoid of scoring, but in the sixth the Bostons not only -tied the Giants but passed them. - -Loomis, the crack left fielder of the visitors, started the trouble -with a sharp hit to Larry, who "booted" the ball, letting Loomis get -to first. Hobbs lay down a bunt on which Joe had no time to get Loomis -at second, though he tossed out Hobbs at first. Walters lined out the -first clean hit that the Red Sox had made so far in the game. If it had -been properly played and taken on the bound, it could have been held to -a single. But Becker made a mistake in thinking that he could make a -fly catch. The ball struck the ground in front of him, bounded over his -head and rolled to the further corner of the field. Before it could be -recovered, Walters had made the circuit of the bases, following Loomis -over the plate, and the Red Sox were in the lead by two runs to one. - -The Boston rooters started their marching song of "Tessie," while the -New Yorkers sat glum and silent. - -Joe tightened up and struck out the two following batters in jig time, -but it looked as though the mischief had been done. - -"Don't let that worry you, Joe," counseled McRae, as he came in to the -bench. "You're pitching like a Gatling gun. That's the first hit they've -got off you in six innings and it ought to have been a single only. -We'll beat 'em yet." - -"Sure we will," answered Joe, cheerfully. "We've only begun to fight." - -At the beginning of the "lucky seventh," the crowd rose and stretched in -the fond hope that it would bring the necessary luck for their favorites. - -The omen might have worked, had it not been for a dazzling bit of play -on the part of the Bostons. - -Their own half had been fruitless. Joe was pitching now like a man -inspired, and his bewildering curves and slants had made the Boston -sluggers look like "bushers." - -In the Giants' half, Joe was the first man up and he laced out a hot -liner between second and short that carried him easily to first. Mylert -hit to short and Joe was forced at second, though Berry relayed the -ball to Hobbs too late for a double play. A wild pitch, the only one of -the game, advanced Mylert a base. Burkett received a pass. Now there -was a man on first, another on second, and rousing cheers came from the -stands. There was only one man out, Fraser was evidently getting wild, -and it looked as though New York might score. - -The Boston infield moved in for a double play. And it looked for a -moment as though they would make it. Larry hit to short, and a groan -went up. But the hit was so sharp that Stock could not handle it -cleanly, and, though he succeeded in getting Burkett at second Larry -reached first safely while Mylert raced to third. - -It was a time for desperate measures, and McRae gave the signal for a -double steal. The moment Fraser wound up, Larry started for second, -not with a design of reaching it, but hoping to draw a throw from the -catcher, under cover of which Mylert might scamper home from third. If -he could touch the plate before Larry was put out, the run would count -and the score be tied. - -Thompson threw like a shot to Berry at second. But instead of chasing -Larry, who had stopped midway between first and second, he kept -threatening to throw to third and catch Mylert, who was taking as big a -lead toward home as he dared. After playing hide and seek for a moment, -Berry thought he saw a chance to nip Mylert and threw to Girdner at -third. But the ball touched the tips of his fingers and got past him, -and Mylert started for home. - -A howl of exultation went up from the throng. Then it died away as -suddenly as it had risen. - -Girdner, chasing the ball, slipped as he went to pick it up. Lying on -the grass, he made a desperate throw in the direction of the plate. -It went high, but Thompson made a tremendous jump, pulled it down and -clapped it on Mylert just as he slid into the rubber. - -"Out," yelled the umpire. - -It was as classy a play as any of the spectators had ever seen, and even -the New Yorkers, sore as they were at losing the run, joined generously -in the applause that greeted it. - -"That fellow Girdner must have a rabbit's foot about him somewhere," -remarked Robson to McRae with a twisted smile. "He couldn't do that -thing again in a thousand years." - -"A few more things like that and the crowd will die of heart disease -or nervous prostration," answered McRae. "But they can't have all the -breaks. Just watch. Our turn will be coming next." - -But nothing happened in the eighth to change the score, and the ninth -opened with the Red Sox still in the lead. - -That the Red Sox would not score again was as nearly certain as anything -can be in baseball. Joe, as cool as an icicle, was going at top speed. -They simply could not touch his offerings. - -But as the visitors went back in one, two, three order, they consoled -themselves with the thought that they did not have to do any more -scoring. They were already ahead, and if Fraser could hold their -opponents down for one more inning, the game was theirs. - -But Fraser had about reached his limit. He could not stand the gaff -as sturdily as Joe. With the exception of that one wild spell, he had -pitched superbly, but the terrific strain was beginning to tell. - -His first two pitches went as balls, and McRae, whose eagle eyes saw -signs of wavering, signaled Becker, who was at the bat, to "wait him -out." - -The advice proved good, and Becker trotted down to first where he -immediately began to dance about and yell, hoping to draw a throw which -in the pitcher's nervous condition might go wild. - -The Red Sox players shouted encouragement to their pitcher, and the -catcher walked down to the box on the pretense of advice but really to -give him time to recover himself. - -No doubt this helped, for Fraser braced up and made Iredell put up a -towering foul, which Thompson caught after a long run. - -Joe came next and cracked out a pretty single between short and second. -Becker tried to make third on it, but a magnificent throw by Walters -nipped him at the bag. But in the mix-up, Joe, by daring running, got to -second. - -With two out, a long hit would tie the game, anyway, and carry it into -extra innings. - -Fraser seemed to waver again and gave Mylert his base on balls. Then big -Burkett, the head of the batting order, strode to the plate. - -Amid frantic adjurations from the crowd to "kill the ball," he caught -the second one pitched and sent a screaming liner far out toward the -right field wall. - -Cooper, the fleet Red Sox right fielder, had started for it at the crack -of the bat. On, on he went, running like a deer. - -Thirty-five thousand people were on their feet, yelling like maniacs, -while Joe, Mylert and Burkett raced round the bases. - -Ball and man reached the wall at the same instant. The gallant player -leaped high in the air. But the ball just touched the tips of his -fingers and rolled away, while Joe and Mylert dented the rubber, Burkett -halting when he reached second. - -Then the crowd went crazy. - -The game was over. It had been a battle royal, but the Giants had -vanquished the Red Sox, and had taken their first stride toward the -championship of the world. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE TABLES TURNED - - -Baseball Joe waited just long enough to wave his cap at the box in which -his party sat, and then raced with his companions to the clubhouse -before the crowd that was rushing down over the field should overwhelm -them. - -Mabel turned towards Mrs. Matson, who had been watching the game with -the most intense interest and yet with a sense of complete bewilderment. -The intricacies of the game were new to her, but she knew that her boy -had won, and at the applause showered upon him her fond heart swelled -with motherly pride. - -"What do you think of that son of yours now?" Mabel asked gaily. "Didn't -I tell you he was going to win?" - -"It was j-just wonderful," replied Mrs. Matson, reaching for her -handkerchief to stay the happy tears that had not been far from her eyes -all through the game. - -Mr. Matson had renewed his youth, and his eyes were shining like a -boy's. Clara clapped her hands and laughed almost hysterically. - -"Oh, oh, oh!" she cried. "And he's my brother!" - -Mabel laughed and gave her a little affectionate pat. - -"I don't wonder that you're proud of him," she said. Joe would have been -glad to hear the slight tremble in her voice. - -In the clubhouse there was, of course, a mighty celebration. A lead -of one game in such a series as that promised to be was, as "Robbie" -exultantly said, "not to be sneezed at." Now they would have to win only -three more to be sure of the flag, while the Red Sox needed to take four. - -And yet, despite the victory, there was no undue boasting or elation. -They had not won by any such margin as to justify too rosy a view of -the future. The Red Sox had fought for the game tooth and nail, and -at various stages a hair would have turned the balance one way or the -other. The Bostons were an enemy to be dreaded, and a profound respect -for their opponents had been implanted in the Giants' breasts. - -Besides, McRae knew that he had "played his ace" in putting Joe into -the box. He had no pitcher of equal rank to bring out on the morrow, -while at least two of the Red Sox boxmen were quite as high as Fraser in -quality. - -"You did splendidly to-day, Matson," said McRae to Joe, clapping him -jovially on the shoulder. - -"I'm glad we won," responded Joe. "But that Fraser is no slouch when it -comes to putting them over." - -"He's a crackerjack," the manager admitted. "But you topped him all the -way through. We raked him for seven hits, though he kept them pretty -well scattered. But they only got to you for three, and one of them was -a scratch. And he was wobbly twice, while you only gave one pass." - -"That crack of Burkett's was a dandy," observed Joe. "And it came just -in the nick of time." - -"It was a lulu," chuckled McRae. "My heart was in my mouth when I saw -Cooper making for it. Mighty few hits get away from that bird, but it -was just a bit too high for him." - -Both teams were to leave for Boston that night. A special train made up -entirely of Pullman cars had been prepared to carry them, together with -hundreds of enthusiasts who had planned to go with them back and forth -and see each game of the Series. They would reach the city a little -after midnight, and in order that the athletes might not be disturbed, -they would be shunted into a remote part of the railroad yards where -they could slumber peacefully until morning. - -But several hours were to elapse before the train started. Joe hurried -into his street clothes, and, accompanied by Jim Barclay, was whirled -away in a taxicab to the Marlborough, where they had arranged to have a -jolly dinner with his family and the Varleys. - -The baseball players found everything ready for them, and the welcome -that greeted them warmed their hearts. - -"What a pity that we haven't a band here ready to strike up: 'Hail the -conquering heroes come,'" said Mabel, mischievously. - -"'Hero,' you mean," corrected Jim. "I'm shining with only reflected -glory. Here's the real hero of the piece," indicating Joe. "I'm only one -of the Roman populace." - -"And who's the villain?" smiled Mr. Matson. - -"Oh, Fraser was the villain," responded Jim. "But Joe foiled him just as -he was about to carry away the che-ild." - -Barclay had not yet met Joe's family, but now Joe introduced him to his -parents and Clara. They greeted him cordially, and Clara's eyes fell -before the admiration that leaped into Jim's merry blue ones. - -It is barely possible that that young lady had thought more than once -of what Joe had said of Barclay in the letter that had enclosed the -thousand dollar bill. And now as she studied him shyly from time to -time while he chatted away gaily, she had no difficulty in understanding -why Joe had spoken so enthusiastically of his friend. And she was not -sorry that Mabel had arranged that she and Jim should sit next each -other at the table. - -They were soon talking with freedom and animation. - -"You ought to be awfully proud of that brother of yours," Jim declared. - -"I should say so!" Clara exclaimed. "He's the dearest brother that ever -lived." - -"He's a prince," assented Jim. "A finer fellow never trod in shoe -leather. I owe an awful lot to him, Miss Matson. I was feeling as -forlorn as only a 'rookie' can feel when I broke into the big league, -but he took me up at once and we've been like brothers ever since." - -"He's often spoken of you in his letters home," replied Clara. "I'd tell -you what he said of you, only it would make you too conceited." - -"And he's raved to me about that sister of his," said Jim. "He's done -more than that. He's shown me your picture. I've been tempted more than -once to steal it from him." - -"What a desperate criminal," laughed Clara, her cheeks growing pink. - -"I think any jury would justify me if they once saw the picture," -replied Jim, gallantly, "and they certainly would if they caught sight -of the original." - -From this it can be seen that these young folks were fast becoming very -friendly. - -"It has been the dream of my life to see New York and Boston," observed -Clara. - -"Is that so?" said Jim, eagerly. "I know both of them like a book. You -must let me show you around." - -"That's very nice of you," said Clara, demurely. "But I suppose Joe will -want----" - -"Oh, of course," said Jim. "But Joe will be so busy you know with the -games. He'll be under a big strain, while I'll probably have plenty of -time. I'm only a sort of fifth wheel to the coach, while Joe's the whole -thing. And then, too, Joe's already got Mabel, and it isn't fair that he -should have two lovely girls while I'm left out in the cold. You really -must take pity on me." - -Few girls would have been so hard-hearted as to let such a handsome -young fellow as Jim die of grief, and Clara had no intention of -hastening his demise by excessive cruelty on her part. So she assented, -though with the proper degree of maidenly hesitation, and they began -merrily to map out plans for the coming week. - -Joe, seated with Mabel on one side and his mother on the other, had also -been enjoying himself hugely through the dinner, while Reggie and Mr. -Matson found plenty to talk about in discussing the events of the day. -The time passed all too swiftly and before they knew it they had to -begin preparations for the journey. - -"Let's look at the weather probabilities for to-morrow," said Joe, -buying an evening paper at the newsstand as they passed through the -Grand Central Terminal. - -"Um--cloudy and unsettled," he read. - -"That means that we'll have to get busy and win in the first five -innings before the rain comes," laughed Jim. - -"It ought to be a good day to pitch Markwith," returned Joe. "With a -cloudy day and that blinding speed of his they won't be able to see the -ball." - -The two young athletes saw their party to their car, and after a few -moments of pleasant chat bade them good-night and repaired to the -Pullmans that had been reserved for the Giant team. - -All were in a most jovial mood and filled with highest hopes for the -morrow. Joke and banter flew back and forth, until the watchful McRae -asserted the claims of discipline and sent them all to their berths. - -The next morning when they drew the curtains, they found that the -weather man's prognostications had been correct. Dull, leaden-colored -clouds chased each other across the sky and a bleak wind came from the -east. - -"Looks like soggy weather, sure enough," commented Jim, as he met Joe in -the lavatory. - -"It certainly does," assented Joe. "Hope it holds off till after the -game. It may cut down the attendance." - -"No danger of that unless it rains cats and dogs," rejoined Jim. "Boston -is the best baseball city in the country, and it'll take more than a few -clouds or even a drizzle to keep the crowds away." - -They breakfasted in the dining car, and then Joe's party adjourned to -the hotel where rooms had been reserved. There was not much time for -sight seeing, but they all had a pleasant little stroll on the Common -and in the wonderful Botanical Gardens, before their duties called the -young men away to the baseball grounds. - -The weather still continued threatening, but as Jim had prophesied, this -did not affect the attendance. Boston was as wild over the Series as -New York, and long before noon Commonwealth Avenue and Gaffney Street -were packed with the oncoming throngs. By the time the game started the -enormous Braves Field was packed to its utmost capacity. - -Personally, McRae welcomed the overcast sky. It was a pitcher's day, a -day that called for speed, and speed as everybody knew was Markwith's -"long suit." - -"Smoke 'em over, Red," was McRae's admonition, when he told Markwith he -was slated to pitch. "If we can only put this game on the right side of -the ledger, the world's flag is as good as won. Give us a lead of two -games and it will take the spine out of those birds. They'll never catch -up." - -"I get you, Mac," grinned the pitcher. "I'll zip 'em over so fast -they'll have to use glasses to see 'em." - -For four innings it looked as though his prophecy would be fulfilled. -His companions played like fiends behind him, and although the Bostons -got to him for three bingles, they were scattered ones, and not a man -got as far as third base. - -"Looks as though Red had their goat, John," Robson remarked to McRae. - -"He's doing fine," McRae returned, "and our boys seem to be getting to -Banks pretty freely." - -The Giants had, in fact, got a pretty good line on Banks, the port -flinger of the Red Sox, and had accumulated three runs, which, with -Markwith going as he was, seemed a very comfortable lead. - -But the glorious uncertainty of the national game was demonstrated in -the next inning. The Giants had been disposed of in their half with a -goose egg, and the Red Sox came in to bat. - -The first man up was given a base on balls. The next hit a sharp bounder -to Denton, who ought to have made an easy out either at first or -second, but he juggled the ball and both men were safe. - -The error seemed to unnerve Markwith, and he gave another pass, filling -the bases. - -"Get to him, boys!" screamed the Boston coacher on the side lines near -first base. "He's got nothing on the ball but his glove and a prayer." - -Walters, the slugging center fielder, caught the second ball pitched -right on the seam and sent it on a line between left and center for the -cleanest of home runs, clearing the bases and denting the rubber himself -for the fourth run. In jig time, the Red Sox had wiped out the Giants' -advantage and taken the lead. - -The crowd went wild and the "Tessie" song swelled up from the stands. - -McRae, with his brow like a thunder cloud, beckoned Red from the box and -called in Jim, who, as a matter of precaution but with little idea of -being called upon, had been warming up in a corner of the grounds. - -"It's up to you, Barclay," he said as he handed him the ball. "Let's see -now what stuff you're made of." - -Joe gave Jim an encouraging pat on the shoulder. - -"Steady does it, old man," he said. "They're only one run ahead and the -bases are empty. Hold them down and our boys will hand you enough runs -to win out." - -It was a trying position for a young and comparatively new pitcher, but -Jim was a "comer" and had already proved in other games that he had both -skill and nerve. - -"Knock this one out of the box, too," came from the stands. - -"Sew up the game right now!" - -"Eat him up!" - -"He'll be easy!" - -"Oh, you Red Sox!" - -Jim wound up and shot one over for a strike. - -"Easy, is he?" came back from the Giant supporters. "Just watch that -boy's smoke." - -Another strike followed, and the stands sobered down a little. - -"You're out," called the umpire, as a third strike split the plate. - -Shouts of delight and encouragement came from the Giants' bench, and -McRae's face lightened somewhat. - -The next man went out on a high foul, and the inning ended when Stock -popped an easy fly to the box. - -"Bully for you, old man!" came from his mates, as Jim walked in from the -mound. - -"Knock out some runs now, you fellows," admonished McRae. "Barclay can't -do it all. And do it in a hurry, too. I don't like the way those clouds -are coming up." - -The sky was blackening rapidly, and the wind, coming from the east in -strong gusts, told that a storm was on the way. - -The Giants knew the need of haste, and they went at their work fiercely. -Larry started proceedings with a rattling two bagger. Denton sacrificed -him to third. Willis lined out a single, bringing in Larry and reaching -second himself a moment later on a passed ball. Becker sent one to right -that scored Willis and netted two bags for himself. Iredell went out -on an infield catch, but Mylert came to the rescue with a sizzling hit -that brought Becker to the plate amid frantic shouts from the New York -rooters. - -Three runs had been scored and New York was again in the lead by six to -four. Two men were out. But now rain began to fall, although at first it -was only a drizzle, and McRae, frenzied with anxiety, ordered Burkett to -strike out. - -Now, of course, it was the Bostons' cue to delay the game. If they could -prevent the sixth inning from being fully played out before the rain -stopped proceedings, the score would revert to what it was at the end of -the fifth inning and Boston would be declared the winner. - -They came in slowly from the field, stopping frequently to talk to each -other. Then when at last they were at their bench, the first batter -took unusual pains in selecting his bat. And all the time the rain was -falling more heavily. - -McRae rushed at the umpire. - -"Can't you see what they're doing?" he demanded. "Make them play ball." - -The umpire turned sternly to the batter. - -"Hurry up there," he commanded. "None of your monkey tricks or I'll -forfeit the game to the New Yorks." - -Thus adjured, the batter sauntered as slowly as he dared to the plate. - -Jim put over a strike. - -"That wasn't a strike," argued the Boston captain. "It didn't come -within six inches of the plate." - -"No argument," snapped the umpire, who saw through the tactics. "Go -ahead there," he called to Jim. - -Jim put over two more. The batter did not even offer at them. He had -figured that with an occasional ball switched in it would take more time -to put him out on strikes than if he gave a fielder's chance. But there -were no balls and he was declared out. - -The second man crawled like a snail to the plate. It was pouring now and -the bleachers were black with umbrellas. The Giants were fairly dancing -up and down with impatience and apprehension. - -Jim pitched like lightning, not waiting to wind up. But before he could -dispose of the batsmen, the heavens opened and the rain came down in -torrents. - -[Illustration: THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE RAIN CAME DOWN IN TORRENTS.] - -Play was impossible. The umpire called the game and everybody scurried -for shelter. - -Old Jupiter Pluvius had taken a hand in the game. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A GALLANT EFFORT - - -It is needless to paint the exasperation on the faces of McRae and -Robson and the rest of the Giant team, as they saw victory taken from -them just as they were tightening their grip upon it. - -"Talk about luck," growled McRae. "Those fellows have got hogsheads of -it." - -"Why couldn't that rain have held off for ten minutes more?" groaned the -rotund Robson. - -"It may let up even yet enough to let the game go on," remarked Larry, -though without much conviction. - -"Such a chance," grunted Willis. "Why, you could take a swim at second -base already." - -There was, indeed, little hope of resuming the game, although in -accordance with the rules, if the rain ceased in half an hour and the -grounds were in condition for play, the umpires could call the teams -back to the field. But the rain was blinding, and to wait around any -longer was only a matter of form. - -Joe and Jim had worked their way through the crowds to the box in -which their party sat. In the neat, gray, traveling uniforms that set -their athletic figures off to perfection, the girls thought they looked -handsomer than ever. - -All gave them a hearty welcome and gladly made room for them. It was, of -course, only by a coincidence that Joe found himself next to Mabel while -Jim sat close to Clara. - -"I'm so glad your side won, Joe," said motherly Mrs. Matson, beaming -lovingly on her son and heir. - -"But we didn't, Momsey," Joe laughed a little ruefully. - -"Why, I kept count of the runs," said his mother in surprise, "and your -side made six while the others had only four." - -"That's right, but our last three don't count," explained Joe. "If we -could only have finished out this last inning, we'd have won. But it -wasn't finished, and so the score went back to the end of the fifth -inning when the Bostons were ahead four to three." - -"I think that's a shame!" exclaimed his mother, with as near an approach -to indignation as her kindly nature was capable of feeling. - -"Those old Bostons were just horrid to try to delay the game that way," -declared Clara. - -"It wasn't a bit sportsmanlike," declared Mabel, warmly. - -Joe favored Jim with a solemn wink. Both knew that the Giants would have -done precisely the same thing if positions had been reversed. It was a -legitimate enough part of the game if one could "get away with it." - -"Yes," assented Joe, keeping his face straight. "It didn't seem exactly -the thing." - -"I don't wonder Mr. McRae was angry," said Mabel. "I'm sure he wouldn't -have done a thing like that." - -Joe had a sudden choking fit. - -"Well," he said, "there's no use crying over spilt milk. We ought to -have made those runs earlier in the game, that's all." - -"I felt so sorry for poor Mr. Markwith," said Mrs. Matson. "It must have -been very mortifying to have to give up before so many people." - -"Poor Red," said Joe. "It was too bad, especially when he got away to -such a splendid start. But every pitcher has to take his medicine some -time. Pitchers are very much like race horses. One day no one can beat -them and another day any one can beat them." - -"I think you did splendidly, Mr. Barclay," said Clara, shyly. - -"Oh, I didn't have much to do," said Jim. "Just the same," he added, -dropping his voice a trifle, "I'd rather hear you say that than any one -else I know." - -The flush that made Clara look like a wild rose deepened in her cheeks -not only from the words but the quick look that accompanied them. - -"Don't you think it might clear up yet?" she asked, changing the subject. - -Jim followed her gaze reluctantly. He had something better to look at -than the weather. - -"The clouds do seem to be breaking away a little," he assented. "But the -base paths are a sea of mud, and the outfield is a perfect quagmire. -There go the umpires now to look at it." - -Those dignitaries (there were four of them that officiated at each game, -one behind the plate, one at the bases and the two others at the foul -lines in right and left field, respectively) were, as a matter of fact, -solemnly stalking out on the field. - -From the stands went up a thunderous roar: "Call the game! Call the -game!" - -The Boston rooters were taking no chances and were perfectly willing to -go without further baseball that afternoon, now that their favorites had -the game won. - -But their exhortations were unnecessary. Even McRae, clinging -desperately to the last chance, could not in justice to his common sense -urge that play should be continued. It was clearly impossible, and would -have degenerated into a farce that would have risked the limbs of his -athletes, to say nothing of the harm it would work to the game. - -So there was no protest when the game was formally and finally declared -off, and the disgruntled New Yorks gathered up their bats and strode -from the field. - -"Never mind, boys," comforted McRae. "We can beat the Red Sox but we -can't beat them and the rain together. Better luck next time." - -"That listens good," grumbled "Robbie," who refused to be consoled. "But -now we've lost the jump on them and it's all to be done over again." - -"Well, we're no worse off than they are, anyway," returned the Giant -manager. - -"If we could only pitch Matson every day, the Series would be a cinch," -mused Robson. - -"A copper-riveted cinch," agreed McRae. "But I was mightily encouraged -at the way young Barclay mowed them down. The ball didn't look any -bigger than a pea as it came over the plate." - -"He certainly had lots of stuff on the ball," admitted Robson. "I wonder -if he can stand the gaff for a full game." - -"I don't know whether he's seasoned enough for that yet," said McRae, -thoughtfully. "But it'll stand a lot of thinking about. We'll see first -though how Hughson's feeling when we get back to New York." - -The return journey to New York was not by any means so joyful as the -trip out had been. Still, there was no discouragement in the Giants' -camp. They had played good ball and with the lead they had and the way -Jim was pitching would probably have won if it had not been for the -rain. And on the theory that the good and bad luck of the game usually -struck an average, they felt that they were due to have the break in -their favor the next time. - -As for Joe and Jim, although, of course, they shared the chagrin -of their mates, their cloud had plenty of silver lining. They had -played their own parts well so far in the Series, and had no painful -recollections to grow moody about. And then, too, were they not in the -company of the two girls whom they devoutly believed to be the most -charming in the world? - -They made the most of that company in the quiet Sunday that followed. -Mr. and Mrs. Matson smilingly declined Reggie's cordial invitation, on -the ground that they were feeling the need of rest after the excitement. -The young people bundled into the car and they had a delightful ride -through the woods of Westchester, whose trees were putting on their -autumn tints of scarlet and russet and gold. A supper at the Claremont -put the finish to a day in which the blind god with his bow and arrows -had been extremely busy, and the drive home through the twilight was -something none of them ever forgot. - -The next morning, Joe, scanning the paper, gave a delighted exclamation. - -"What's the matter?" asked Jim, disturbed in a pleasing reverie that had -nothing to do with baseball. - -"Matter enough," returned Joe, handing him the paper. "Hughson's going -to pitch. McRae must have fixed it up with him yesterday." - -"Gallant old scout!" cried Jim, his eyes kindling. "I was sure he'd get -into the scrap somewhere. The only way you could keep that old war horse -out of the World Series would be to hit him with an axe!" - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -MORE HARD LUCK - - -"Won't this make Boston feel sore!" Baseball Joe exulted. - -"You bet it will," chuckled Jim. "That's the one thing they were banking -on more than anything else. With Hughson out, they thought we didn't -have a chance." - -"Let's get through breakfast in a hurry and run up and see the old boy," -cried Joe. - -Jim needed no urging and they were soon in a taxicab and on their way to -Hughson's home. - -They were met at the door by Mrs. Hughson, who greeted them with a -pleasant smile and ushered them into the living room, where they found -the great pitcher stretched out at his ease and running over the columns -of the morning paper. - -He jumped to his feet when he saw who his visitors were, and there was a -hearty interchange of handshakes. - -"So Richard is himself again," beamed Joe. - -"Best news we've had in a dog's age," added Jim. - -"Yes, I guess the old salary wing is on the job again," laughed Hughson. - -"How's it feeling?" asked Joe, eagerly. - -"Fine as silk," Hughson responded. "I've been trying it out gradually, -and I don't see but what I can put them over as well as ever I did. It -hurts me a little on the high, fast ones, but everything else I've got -in stock seems to go as well as I could ask." - -"What does the doctor say about your pitching?" asked Jim. - -"Oh, he's dead set against it," was the answer. "Tells me it isn't well -yet by any means, and that it may go back on me any minute. But you know -how those doctors are. They always want to make a sure thing of it. But -McRae and I have been talking it over, and we've concluded that in the -present condition of things it might be well to take a chance." - -"That head of yours is all right, anyway, you old fox," laughed Joe. -"You've always pitched with that as much as with your arm. You'll -outguess those fellows, even if you have to favor your arm a little." - -"We'll hope so, anyway," was the reply. "That was hard luck the boys had -in Boston on Saturday, wasn't it? Pity we couldn't have had it played -here that day. It didn't rain a drop in New York." - -"We were surely up against it," replied Joe. "But to-day's another day -and we'll hope it tells a different story." - -"By the way," grinned Hughson, "an old friend of yours was up here -yesterday." - -"Is that so?" asked Joe. "Who was it?" - -"'Bugs' Hartley." - -The two young men gave vent to an exclamation of surprise. - -"He's a great friend of mine," said Joe, dryly. "He met me on the street -the other night and showed me that I was as popular with him as a -rattlesnake at a picnic party." - -"He certainly is sore at you," Hughson laughed. "He started in to pan -you but I shut him up in a hurry. I told him that you'd always done -everything you could to help him, and I hinted to him that we knew -pretty well who drugged your coffee that day you pitched against the -Phillies. He swore, of course, that he didn't do it." - -"I know that he did," Joe replied. "But still I've never felt so sore -against poor old Bugs as I would have felt against any one else who did -such a thing, because I knew that he was a little queer in the head. -Even now I'd gladly do him a favor if I could. What did he come here -for?" - -"He wanted to get on to Boston but didn't have the price," answered -Hughson. "He thought that if he could see Rawlings he might get a -chance with the Braves for next season. And he might, at that. You know -what Rawlings has done with a lot of cast-offs from other teams, and if -he could keep Bugs from kicking over the traces he might get something -out of him next year. You know as well as I do what Bugs can do in the -pitching line if he'll only brace up and cut out drink. So I coughed up -enough to send him on and I hope he'll get another chance." - -"I hope so," rejoined Joe, heartily. "There are mighty few teams that -can beat him when he's right." - -"But keep your eyes open, Joe, just the same," counseled Hughson. "He's -holding a grudge against you in that old twisted brain of his, and you'd -be as safe with him as if you were on a battlefield." - -"I guess he's done his worst already," Joe laughed carelessly. - -They talked a few minutes longer, and then, as the rubber came in to -give Hughson's arm its daily massage, they took their way downtown. - -The whole city was alive with excitement at the news that the famous -standby of the Giants was to be in the box that afternoon. Yet mingled -with this was an under current of anxiety. Was he in shape to pitch? -Would that mighty arm of his hold out, so soon after his injury? - -If wild and long-continued cheering could have won the game, it would -have been won right at the start when Hughson came out on the field a -little while before the gong sounded. - -It was a tribute of which any man might have been proud. For more than a -dozen years he had been the mainstay of the team. His record had never -been approached in baseball history. - -Year in and year out he had pitched his team to victory. Several times -they had won the pennant of the National League, and even when they -failed they had always been up among the contenders. And more than to -any single man, this had been due to Hughson's stout heart and mighty -arm. - -And the affection showered upon him was due not only to his prowess as -a twirler, but to his character as a man. He was a credit to the game. -The fines and discipline, so necessary in the case of many brilliant -players, had never been visited upon him. He had steered clear of -dissipation in any form. He was sportsmanlike and generous. Players on -opposing teams liked him, the umpires respected him, his mates idolized -him, and the great baseball public hailed him with acclamations whenever -he appeared on the field. - -And to-day the applause was heartier than ever because of the importance -of the game and also in recognition of his gameness in coming to the -help of his team so soon after a serious accident. - -"They're all with you, Hughson," smiled McRae, as the bronzed pitcher -lifted his cap in response to the cheers that rose from every quarter of -the field. - -"They seem to be, John," replied Hughson. "Let's hope they won't be -disappointed." - -As the game went on, it seemed as though the hopes of the spectators -were to be gratified. - -The veteran pitched superbly for seven innings. His twirling was up to -the standard of his best games. He mowed the opposing batsman down one -after the other, and as inning after inning passed with only two scratch -hits as the Bostons' total, it began to look as though it would be a -shutout for the visitors. - -"They've got holes in their bats," cried McRae, gleefully, as he brought -his hand down on Robson's knee with a thump. - -"It sure looks like it!" ejaculated Robbie. "But for the love of Mike, -John, go easy. That ham of yours weighs a hundred pounds." - -But the Boston pitcher, stirred up by the fact that he was pitted -against the great Hughson, was also "going great guns." Larry and -Burkett had been the only Giants so far to solve his delivery. Each had -hammered out a brace of hits, but their comrades had been unable to -bring them in from the bags on which they were roosting. - -"Get after him, boys," raged McRae. "You're hitting like a bunch from -the old ladies' home. Split the game wide open." - -They promised vehemently to knock the cover off the ball, but the Red -Sox pitcher, Landers, was not a party to the bargain and he obstinately -refused to "crack." - -In the first half of the eighth, Cooper, of the Bostons, knocked up an -infield fly that either Larry or Denton could have got easily. But they -collided in running for it and the ball fell to the ground and rolled -out toward center. Iredell, who was backing up the play, retrieved it, -but in the mix-up, Cooper, by fast running, reached second. - -Though both men had been shaken up by the collision they were not -seriously injured, and after a few minutes play was resumed. - -But in the strained condition of the players' nerves, the accident had -to some degree unstrung them. So that when Berry chopped an easy roller -to Denton that the latter ordinarily would have "eaten up," he juggled -it for a moment. Then, in his haste to make the put-out at first, he -threw wild and the ball went over Burkett's head. Before he could get it -back, Cooper had scored and Berry was on third. - -The Boston rooters howled like wild men, and their hats went sailing -into the air. - -Hughson, cool as an iceberg, brought his fadeaway into play and whiffed -the next man up. Then Hobbs rolled one to the left of the box. Hughson -made a great reach for it and got it, though he slipped and fell as he -did so. He snapped the ball, however, to Mylert, nipping Berry at the -plate. - -Mylert returned the ball to Hughson who took his position in the box and -began to wind up. But almost instantly his hand dropped to his side. - -He tried again but fruitlessly. - -McRae ran out to him in consternation. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -FLEMING TURNS UP AGAIN - - -"What's the matter, Hughson?" McRae cried. - -"The old arm won't work," replied the pitcher. "Guess I hurt it in the -same old place when I fell." - -His fellow players crowded around him, and the umpire, who had called -time, came up to ascertain the damage. - -The club doctor also ran out from his seat in the stands near the press -box and made a hurried examination. - -"You've strained those ligaments again," he remarked, "and as far as I -can tell now one of them is broken. I told you that they weren't healed -enough for you to pitch." - -McRae groaned in sympathy with Hughson and in dismay for himself and his -team. He had been congratulating himself that with Hughson in the fine -form he had showed that afternoon the world's pennant was as good as won. - -"It's too bad, old man," he said to Hughson. "You never pitched better. -You were just burning them over." - -"I'm fearfully sorry," Hughson answered. "I did want to be in the thick -of the fight with the rest of the boys. But I guess all I can do from -now on is to root for them." - -He took off his glove and walked over to the bench, amid a chorus of -commiserating shouts from the stands. - -McRae beckoned to Joe. - -"Jump in, Joe," he directed briefly, "and hold them down. They've only -got one run. I'm depending on you to see that they don't get any more." - -Joe went into the box and tossed two or three to Mylert to get the range -of the plate. He had a greeting from the fans that warmed the cockles of -his heart. - -There were two men out and Hobbs was dancing around first. Joe saw out -of the corner of his eye that he was taking too big a lead, and snapped -the ball like a bullet to Burkett. Hobbs tried desperately to get back -but was nipped by a foot. - -Joe had finished putting out the side without pitching a ball. - -"Some speed that," came from the stands. - -"I guess Matson's slow." - -"We don't have to pitch to beat you fellows," piped a fan and the crowd -roared. - -But nothing could hide the fact that the Red Sox were ahead. McRae -brought all his resources into play and sent two pinch hitters to -the plate. But though one of them, Browning, knocked out a corking -three-bagger, the inning ended without results. - -In the ninth, Joe had no trouble in disposing of the men who faced him. -His slants and cross fire had them "buffaloed." One went out on a foul, -another was an easy victim at first, and he put on the finishing touch -by striking the third man out. - -McRae tore round among his men like an elephant on a rampage as they -came in for their half of the ninth. They, however, needed no urging. -They were as wild to win as he was himself, and they were almost frantic -as they saw victory slipping from them. - -They did do something, but not enough. By the time two men were out, -there was a Giant on first and another on second. Larry, the slugger of -the team, was at the bat. He picked out a fast one and sent it hurtling -on a line to left. It looked like a sure hit, but Stock, the shortstop, -leaped high into the air and speared it with his gloved hand, and the -shout that had gone up from the stands ended in a groan. - -Three games of the Series had been played and the Red Sox had won two of -them! - -It was a disgruntled band of athletes who went under the shower in the -Giant clubhouse that afternoon, and when Joe and Jim joined their party -at the Marlborough in the early evening, the air of jubilation they had -worn on the day of the first game was conspicuous by its absence. - -"If you had that band here you were talking about Friday, what do you -suppose they would play?" Joe asked of Mabel, after the first greetings -were over. - -"They ought to play the 'Dead March in Saul,'" Jim volunteered. - -"Not a bit of it," denied Mabel, cheerily. - - "There's a better day coming and dinna' ye doubt it, - So just be canty wi' thinking about it," - -she quoted, flashing a sunny smile at Joe that made him feel more -cheerful at once. - -"It was too bad," comforted Mrs. Matson. "But, anyway, Joe, it wasn't -your fault," she added, beaming fondly on her son. - -"Call it misfortune then, Momsey," Joe smiled back at her. "But it -surely was that. We lost the game, we lost it on our own grounds, we -were whitewashed, and worst of all Hughson is out for the rest of the -Series." - -"That's enough for one day," acquiesced Jim. - -"Stop your grouching, you fellows," admonished Reggie. "You'll have -plenty of chances to even things up." - -"Oh, we'll fight all the harder," agreed Joe. "There isn't a streak of -yellow in the whole Giant team. The boys will fight like wildcats and -never give up until the last man is out in the deciding game. We're -looking for revenge to-morrow." - -"And maybe revenge won't be sweet!" chimed in Jim. - -"Who is going to pitch for your side to-morrow?" asked Mr. Matson. - -"McRae gave me a tip that I was to go in," Joe answered. - -"Then we might as well count the game as good as won," declared Mabel. - -"That certainly sounds good," laughed Joe. "But suppose I should be -batted out of the box? I wouldn't dare show my diminished head among you -folks then." - -"We're not worrying a bit about that," put in Clara, looking proudly at -her idolized brother. - -But the question was not to be settled on the morrow, for when the -day dawned in Boston the rain was falling steadily, and the weather -predictions were that the rain would continue for the greater part of -the day. - -For once, at least, the much maligned weather prophet was right, for at -noon the rain had not abated, and, much to the disgust of the expectant -public, the game was declared off. - -By the rules that had been made to cover such an event, the teams were -to stay in Boston until the first fair day should permit the game to be -played. - -The different members of Joe's party were rather widely scattered, -when the sun finally peeped out in the course of the afternoon. Reggie -had taken his sister out to a country club where he had a number of -acquaintances. Mrs. Matson and Clara were doing some shopping in the -Boston stores and Mr. Matson had gone out for a stroll. - -Joe and Jim had been downtown with the rest of the team having a -heart-to-heart talk with McRae and Robson about the strategy to be -adopted in the forthcoming games. - -By four o'clock the sun was shining gloriously and the roads were -beginning to dry out. Just the day, Joe thought, to hire a runabout just -big enough for two and take Mabel out for a spin. - -He conjectured that by the time he got the car and reached the hotel -Mabel would have returned from her trip with Reggie and be ready for him. - -"Come along, Jim, and help me to pick out the car," he said. - -They went to a neighboring garage and selected one which both agreed was -a good one. - -"Jump in, Jim," said Joe, "and I'll give you a ride as far as the hotel." - -They were bowling rapidly along, when an automobile passed them, moving -at a rate of speed that was almost reckless. Joe saw that a man and a -woman were the only occupants. - -He glanced carelessly at the man and was startled when he saw that it -was Beckworth Fleming. - -But he was still more startled when his eyes passed to the face of -Fleming's companion. - -It was Mabel! - -Jim, too, was staring as though he could not believe his eyes. - -For a moment Joe saw red and his blood boiled with rage. He stopped the -car and looked back. - -Then his rage turned to alarm, for Mabel was looking back and waving to -him frantically, while her companion seemed to be trying to draw her -back. - -She was in peril! - -Instantly, Joe turned his car and tore away in pursuit. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -A CAD'S PUNISHMENT - - -The hotel at which Mabel had been stopping with the rest of the party -was in a quiet residential section not far from the suburbs, and Joe -had almost reached it at the time of the encounter. There was little -traffic here to interfere with the chase, and in a few minutes pursuer -and pursued had cleared the outskirts and were in the open country. - -Joe caught a glimpse of Fleming looking back and saw that the latter -knew he was being followed, a knowledge which was followed by a sudden -quickening in the pace of Fleming's car. - -It was, evidently, a powerful machine, and despite Joe's utmost efforts -the gap between the two cars kept constantly widening. - -Joe had had a good deal of experience in handling automobiles during his -big league career, and was a cool and skilful driver. But the utmost -exertion of his skill could avail little when he had an inferior car -pitted against one which greatly exceeded it in horse power. - -His heart was in his mouth as he saw how recklessly Fleming was -speeding. His car seemed to be on two wheels only as he took the curves -in the road. - -How Mabel came to be in that car was a question that could wait for an -answer till later. The only thing that mattered now was that she was -there with a man she dreaded and despised, and her frenzied waving told -Joe that she was in mortal fear and looked for him to help her. - -Jim sat perfectly still without saying a word. Nothing must distract Joe -for a second from that car and the view of the road ahead. He knew what -nerves of steel were back of the sinewy hand that clutched the wheel. He -had grasped the meaning of the chase, and he shared with his friend the -determination that the cad in the car ahead should pay dearly for this -escapade. - -Suddenly Joe gave an exultant cry. - -As they turned a curve, he saw that a railroad crossing lay ahead and -that the gates were down, while a long freight train was lumbering -leisurely by. - -Fleming could not get past till the gates were raised, and by that time -Joe would be upon him. - -There was no cross road between him and the track into which Fleming's -car could escape. His enemy was trapped. - -"You've got him, Joe!" exclaimed Jim, with a thrill of exultation in his -voice. - -"Yes," Joe gritted between his teeth. "I've got him." - -And his tone would not have reassured Beckworth Fleming. - -Fleming's car had halted and Fleming himself had jumped out and run -wildly to the gate, looking up the track to see if the train was nearly -by. He saw at a glance that it would not have passed before Joe would be -upon him. - -From the other side of the car, Mabel had leaped as soon as it had -stopped. She came running back up the road, and Joe, who had stopped, -rushed forward and took her in his arms. She was sobbing with fright and -excitement, and Joe held her close as he tried to soothe her. - -Fleming saw that the game was up and promptly darted off into the wood -at the side of the road. - -"After him, Jim!" cried Joe. "Don't let him get away!" - -Jim darted after the fugitive. Fleming put on all possible speed, but he -was no match for the seasoned athlete, and a moment later Jim's muscular -hand had him by the collar. - -"Let me go," snarled the wretch, struggling desperately. - -"Come along," growled Jim, dragging him to the spot in the road where -Joe was comforting Mabel, who was gradually getting back some of her -self-control. - -The tender look in Joe's eyes was replaced by one of a different -character as he looked at the flushed, dissipated face of the man who -stood before him, still held by Jim. - -"Now, Mr. Beckworth Fleming, I have an account to settle with you." - -Fleming shrank back as far as Jim's grip would let him before the steely -look in Joe's eyes. - -"Don't be afraid," said Joe, contemptuously. "I'm not going to thrash -you in the presence of a lady." - -Relief came into Fleming's face. - -"It was only a lark," he began, but Joe cut him short. - -"I don't care for any explanations," he said. "I want you to go down on -your knees in the road and beg Miss Varley's pardon." - -Fleming looked around for some means of escape but found none. His -furtive glance at Mabel fell before the scorn in her eyes. - -"I apologize," he jerked out sullenly. - -"Down on your knees, I said," remarked Joe with dangerous calmness. - -Fleming hesitated before this last humiliation, but Jim's knuckles in -his neck decided him. - -"I beg your pardon," he muttered, getting down on his knees and -scrambling again to his feet as hastily as possible. - -"And now, Jim," Joe continued, "if you'll just take Mabel up the road a -little way around that curve, I'll finish this little account with Mr. -Fleming." - -Fear sprang into Fleming's eyes. - -"You said you wouldn't," he began. - -"I said I wouldn't thrash you in the presence of a lady, and I'm going -to keep my word," said Joe, imperturbably. "Please, Jim." - -He relinquished Mabel to his friend, and Jim assumed the responsibility -with a cheerful grin. - -"Don't hurt him, Joe," Mabel urged, hesitatingly. - -"I won't kill him, Mabel," Joe answered. "I only want to impress a few -things on his memory so firmly that he'll never forget them." - -Jim gently urged Mabel out of sight beyond a curve two hundred feet away. - -When they had vanished, Joe turned to Fleming. - -"Take off your coat," he ordered curtly. - -"What are you going to do?" asked Fleming, fearfully. "I warn you that -if you hit me----" - -"Take off your coat," repeated Joe, setting him the example. - -As Fleming still hesitated, Joe reached over and slapped his face -lightly. - -"You seem to need a stimulant to get you going," he taunted. - -Even a rat will fight when cornered, and Fleming, with an exclamation of -rage, threw off his coat and rushed furiously at Joe. - -The latter met him with an uppercut that shook him from head to foot. -Then he sailed into Fleming and gave him a most thorough thrashing. Nor -did he let up until Fleming with a highly decorated face lay helpless in -the road, sobbing with shame and rage and whining for mercy. - -"I guess that's enough for the present," said Joe, who had not a mark on -him, as he resumed his coat. "You'd better get into that car of yours -and drive home before your eyes are entirely closed. And remember that -this isn't a circumstance to what you'll get if you ever dare to speak -to Miss Varley again." - -He turned his back upon the discomfited cad, and, jumping into the -runabout, drove around the curve where he rejoined Mabel and Jim. - -"Did you impress those things on his memory?" asked Jim with a grin. - -"I don't think he'll forget them in a hurry," Joe laughed, though rather -grimly. "And this time, luckily, there was no policeman handy." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -PLANNING FOR REVENGE - - -"I hope you didn't injure him too much, Joe," said Mabel, snuggling -close to him in the crowded little runabout. - -"Do I look like a murderer?" chaffed Joe. - -"But really, Joe, what did you do to him?" asked Mabel. - -"Less than the rascal deserved," Joe answered. "He got a good thrashing; -and it was surely coming to him. I don't think he'll ever trouble you -again." - -"I was so relieved when I caught sight of you in this car," sighed Mabel. - -"How did it happen that you were riding with him?" asked Joe, as he -threw on a little extra speed. - -"He was out at the Country Club when Reggie and I reached there," Mabel -replied. "I hadn't told Reggie how he had acted the last time he called -at the Marlborough, because I didn't want to make trouble, and I thought -after the way I cut him then he'd never bother me again. But he was -dining at the Country Club with a party of friends that we both knew, -and I couldn't make a scene without being conspicuous. I avoided him, -however, as much as I could. - -"You know, of course, Reggie's car is in New York and we were using -a hired machine. When we were getting ready to come away, I had just -stepped into the car when Reggie was called to the telephone. This man, -Fleming, was standing by, and before I knew it he jumped in, took the -wheel, and started the auto going. - -"I ordered him to stop, but he only kept going faster. He had been -drinking, and he was loud and boisterous. I begged and threatened, but -he only laughed and went on at a greater speed. Said he was going to get -even with me for the cut I had given him the other night, and was going -to take me on a long ride whether I wanted to go or not. - -"I never was so frightened in all my life. I told him that my friends -and my brother would punish him for what he was doing, but he only -laughed and said they would have to catch him first. I hoped a policeman -would stop us, for he was going at a furious rate. Then I thought of -jumping, though I knew I would probably be killed if I did. I screamed, -but we were going at such a rate and making so much noise that no one -heard me. Then I caught sight of you, and when I looked back and waved -and saw that you were coming after us, I knew that everything would be -all right. Oh, Joe, it seems as though you are always on hand when I -need you most." - -Her nerves had been so badly shaken that she was on the verge of tears -again, and she fumbled for her absurdly little handkerchief in the cuff -of her sleeve. - -Joe's heart thrilled, and if Jim had not been there and he could have -taken his hands from the wheel, he would have comforted her again as he -had on the road. - -"I'd have followed you to the end of the world," he said rather huskily. - -"How lucky it was that that freight train just happened to be passing at -the time," chuckled Jim. "Can't you imagine how desperate Fleming must -have been when he saw the way barred?" - -"It was a friend in need for us, all right," grinned Joe. "Fleming -wasn't quite tipsy enough to try to butt the train off the tracks." - -"He ought to sue the railroad for damages," Jim suggested. - -"He might get them, too," laughed Joe. "If a jury saw his face as it is -just now, they'd know that he'd been in a mix-up of some kind." - -They found Reggie in a state of great bewilderment and agitation at the -hotel. They had told him at the club that Fleming had driven off with -Mabel, and though he had not known of the latter's offensive behavior -toward his sister previously, he knew that Fleming had been drinking -that afternoon and was in no condition to handle a car. - -He was enormously relieved, therefore, when he saw Mabel return safely, -though he wondered to see her escorted by Joe and Jim. - -They told him all the circumstances and he was furious. He was for -starting out at once to hunt up Fleming, but Joe dissuaded him. - -"He's had a good trimming already," Joe assured him. "We don't want -anything that may bring notoriety to Mabel's name. I don't imagine we'll -ever be bothered by him again." - -In the meantime, Fleming, left battered and disheveled on the country -road, was wild with pain and rage. His heart was a tumult of seething -emotions. He had undergone that afternoon more humiliation than comes to -most men in a lifetime. He had been thwarted in his impudent venture. -He had been taken by the collar and shaken as a rat by a terrier. He -had had to get down on his knees in the dirt of the road and humbly -apologize. And then he had been bruised and beaten until he had begged -for mercy. - -He ground his teeth in unavailing fury. He had been accustomed all his -life to have his way. Money had made his path easy. He was not used to -the sensation of being the "under dog." - -He took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood and dust from his face, -brushed and adjusted his disarranged clothing as well as he could, then -climbed into the car and by a roundabout route made his way back to town. - -His first visit was to a Turkish bath where he attempted to have some -of the soreness rubbed from his battered frame. Then he visited one of -the facial artists who make a specialty of painting black eyes into some -semblance of flesh color. - -In this way he managed to efface the worst traces of the afternoon's -encounter, though his face still remained somewhat swelled and puffy. -Then he set out to make a night of it and drown his troubles in the way -with which he was the most familiar. - -He was seated at a table in a crowded café patronized chiefly by -gamblers, when he was accosted by a friend whose dissipated face showed -that he was of the same type as Fleming. - -"Hello, old man," said the former. "Drinking here all by your lonesome?" - -"How are you, Bixby," responded Fleming. "Sit down here and have -something with me." - -His friend did so and Fleming motioned to the waiter and ordered a -couple of drinks. - -"Why, what's the matter with your face, Fleming?" asked Bixby, as he -looked at his friend curiously. "Been in a scrap?" - -"Nothing like that," lied Fleming in a surly tone. "Ran a car into a -ditch and had an upset." - -"Doesn't improve your beauty any," laughed his friend lightly. "Still, -you can't kick if you've come out of a smash with nothing worse than -that. What are you doing here in Boston, anyway? Come over to see the -game?" - -Fleming growled a moody assent. - -"They say Matson is going to pitch to-morrow," Bixby continued. - -Fleming greeted the mention of the name with a lurid outburst that left -no doubt as to his feelings. - -His friend looked at him with surprise. - -"You seem to be horribly sore," he ventured. "I thought that like most -New Yorkers you'd be rooting for him to win." - -"I hope they knock him out of the box," Fleming hissed, with the venom -of a snake. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE PLOT - - -"There are lots of people in Boston hoping the same thing," replied -Bixby. "But I think they're due to be disappointed. It isn't often they -send that boy back to the shower." - -"He can be beaten like any one else," snarled Fleming, his gorge rising -as he heard Joe praised. - -"Sure," conceded Bixby. "The best of them have an off day at times. But -they say he's in splendid shape just now. That arm of his is certainly a -dandy." - -Fleming could have told him better than any one else just how good that -stalwart arm was. Not four hours had passed since he had tested its -strength. And he knew that it was good for something besides baseball. - -But not for the world would he have had that beating come to light. It -would make him the laughing stock of the clubs. He was sure that Joe -himself would not tell of it nor would Reggie, because of their desire -to prevent Mabel's name being dragged into the affair. So that his -secret was safe, unless he himself should reveal it while he was in his -cups. - -"He's a false alarm," he growled. "Lots of these fellows start out as -though they were going to set the league afire, but after a year or two -you find them back again in the minors. They go up like a rocket and -come down like the stick." - -"Well, if he's a false alarm, he's deceived a good many people," -answered Bixby with a diminished respect for his friend's judgment. "All -the dope is that he's going to be another Hughson." - -They drained their glasses and ordered more liquor. While they were -waiting for it to come, Bixby glanced around the café. His eye rested on -a table in the further corner of the room where three men were sitting. - -"Do you see that big fellow over there with the other two?" he asked -Fleming. - -"I see him," replied Fleming, shortly. - -"Well, that's Big Connelly the notorious Chicago sporting man," returned -Bixby. - -"Well, what if it is?" said Fleming, indifferently. - -"Oh, nothing special, except that he seems to feel a good deal the same -way about Matson that you do. I was sitting near him just before I came -over here to join you and he was grouching to beat the band." - -"Is that so!" ejaculated Fleming with a quickening of interest. "What -does he seem to have against him?" - -"Oh, that's more than I know," was the reply. "But he seems to have a -bitter grudge from the way he talks." - -"Do you know Connelly personally?" demanded Fleming. - -"In a way I do," replied Bixby. "I met him at a prize fight once in -Chicago and was introduced to him. I don't know whether he'd remember me -or not. But why do you ask?" - -"I'd like to meet him if you don't mind," answered Fleming. - -Bixby was somewhat surprised but did not object, and the two wended -their way among the tables till they came to the one in question. - -"How are you, Mr. Connelly?" said Bixby. "I don't know whether you -recall me, but I met you at that Welsh-Leonard bout in Chicago last -year. Bixby is my name." - -It was Connelly's business to recollect faces, or to pretend to even if -he did not. - -"Sure, I remember you," he replied with the real or assumed heartiness -of his class. "Glad to see you again, Mr. Bixby." - -"This is my friend, Mr. Fleming," introduced Bixby. - -Connelly's shrewd eyes appraised Fleming as one of the "idle rich," the -plucking of whom had often feathered his nest, and his greeting was -cordial. - -"Won't you sit down and have something with us?" he inquired, -introducing the two men who were with him and making room at the table. - -"We'd be glad to if we're not intruding," replied Bixby. - -"Not at all," said Connelly, and to seal the acquaintance he ordered a -bottle of champagne. - -It was not long before they were talking freely, and it goes without -saying that in the one engrossing thought that prevailed everywhere they -fell to discussing the World Series. - -Connelly--"Big" Connelly, to give him the name by which he was usually -referred to--was, as his name implied, a ponderous man with a hard, -smooth-shaven face and cold, calculating eyes. He was a hardened "sport" -and a shrewd politician, with strings out everywhere in the underworld -that he could pull when he felt so inclined. He was wholly unscrupulous -and stopped at nothing to achieve his ends. - -"I hear you're expecting Boston to win the Series, Mr. Connelly," -remarked Bixby. - -"I've picked 'em to win," agreed Connelly, "and I think they would to a -dead certainty if it weren't for one thing, or perhaps I ought to say -one man." - -"And that one man is Matson, I suppose?" put in Fleming. - -"Exactly," frowned Connelly. "With him out of the way it would be a -walk-over for the Sox." - -"You'd go into mourning if he broke a leg or anything like that," -grinned Bixby. - -"No such luck," grunted Connelly. "Nothing ever happens to that bird. He -must carry a horseshoe around with him. I came all the way from Chicago -to see Brennan's team win, only to see Matson smear a defeat on them. -But it isn't that I'm sore about especially." - -"Some little personal feeling, eh?" ventured Fleming, tentatively. - -"He turned me down on a little deal once," Connelly spat out viciously, -"and I've vowed to get even with him some time." - -He refrained from explaining that the "deal" referred to had been a -crooked bit of work that he had dared to suggest to Joe at the time the -latter was with St. Louis and the club was struggling to get to the head -of the second division. Not only had Joe rejected the proposition hard -and instantly, but Connelly had only saved his face from disfigurement -by beating a hasty and undignified retreat. From that moment he had -cherished a bitter grudge against the man who had humiliated him, and -this was intensified at the present by the young pitcher's popularity. - -"Yes, sir-ee," he grunted vindictively, "I'd give ten thousand dollars -to have Matson put on the shelf." - -"You could have him put out of the way for a good deal less than that," -suggested one of his companions, an evil-faced man named Moriarity. -"There are fellows in New York or Boston who would do it for a thousand." - -"Nix on that stuff," growled Connelly. "You could get away with a good -many things, but you couldn't get away with that. You might as well try -to do away with the President. Any one who puts the extinguisher on -Matson would go to the electric chair sure, and nothing could save him. -Even if he got off, the public would tear him to pieces. Forget it." - -Moriarity was squelched and shrank back before the big man's disapproval. - -"Just the same," ruminated Connelly, "I wish I could think of something -that didn't have any come-back." - -A thought suddenly came into Fleming's mind, but he hesitated to express -it in the presence of Bixby, who was an ardent partisan of the New -Yorks. He sat toying with his glass and turning the idea over in his -mind. - -It was a relief to him when Bixby rose a few minutes later and left -them on the ground of an engagement. Fleming hitched his chair a little -closer to Connelly's. - -"I've just thought of something that may help you out a little, Mr. -Connelly," he began. - -Connelly looked at him in curiosity. - -"Let's hear it," he said eagerly. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -WEAVING THE WEB - - -The four at the table put their heads together, and Fleming lowered his -voice so that he might not be overheard by those in the adjacent chairs. - -"Of course, I don't know whether we can make the thing work," commenced -Fleming a little diffidently, "but it won't do any harm to figure it out -and see what there is in it." - -"Sure thing," said Connelly, encouragingly. - -"As you say, it won't do to injure Matson physically," Fleming went on. -"Though nothing would suit me better," he added with sudden savageness, -as the stinging recollection of that afternoon's events came back to him. - -"I see that he isn't exactly popular with you," grinned Connelly. He -reflected that this man might be a valuable aid to him, if he nourished -a personal grudge. - -But it was not in Fleming's mind to betray himself, and he pulled up -short. - -"As I was saying," he continued, without replying to Connelly's -suggestion, "the public wouldn't stand for a minute for any rough work -with Matson. But we can injure him in other ways." - -"Just how?" asked Connelly. - -"Well," asked Fleming in turn, "what do you think is the most important -thing in the world to him just now?" - -"The World Series," replied Connelly, promptly. - -"Exactly," assented Fleming. "It means more to him just now than -anything else on earth. It means money and reputation and a big future -if he wins. Now if we could knock him out of winning, we could hit him -in his pride, his prestige and his pocketbook all at the same time, and -hit him hard." - -"No doubt of that," admitted Connelly, "but I don't see just yet what -you're driving at." - -"What I'm driving at is this," explained Fleming. "We've got, in some -way, to keep Matson from playing. You know as well as I do that he is -the mainstay of the Giant team. That's especially the case since Hughson -was hurt. Matson's the only reliable pitcher they have left. Markwith is -as wild as a hawk and may go up in the air at any time. Barclay has the -stuff, but he's green and inexperienced. - -"The Red Sox now have won two games to the Giants' one. The New Yorks -must take three more to win the Series. They're counting on Matson to -pull out two of them at least, perhaps all three. I tell you he's the -king pin in the Giant machine just now, and without him the whole team -would go to pieces." - -"I see your point all right," said Connelly, "but with the rough -stuff barred I don't exactly see how we are going to keep Matson from -playing." He pondered the problem for a moment with knitted brows. Then -suddenly an idea came to him, and he brought his fist down on the table -with a resounding thump. "Great Scott!" he cried. "I believe I've got -the very thing!" - -"Let's have it," demanded Fleming, eagerly. - -"There's a pal of mine in this burg," explained Connelly, "that's having -all sorts of trouble with a nephew of his that's going to the dogs as -fast as he can. The boy has put over one or two phony checks already -that my friend has had to settle for to keep the kid out of jail. - -"My pal has the idea that if the boy could be shipped out of the country -for a long voyage it would get him away from the gang he's running with -and might put him in the way of keeping straight. He was talking to me -about it only yesterday and I promised to help him carry it through. - -"You see, I happen to know an old sea captain who's loading up now at -a Boston wharf for a trip to South America. He's a tough old nut, and -he'll do almost anything for me, especially if a little money is slipped -to him to sweeten the job. I was going to propose to him to have this -kid I'm telling you about bundled on board and carried away with him. -But that matter can wait. Now suppose we're able to get Matson on board -in place of the other fellow." - -"Great!" cried Fleming excitedly. - -"It's too hot and crowded in here," declared Connelly, rising. "Let's -get out somewhere and fix up the details." - -He dismissed his henchmen, and he and Fleming strolled down the street -till they came to the Common. They chose a seat in a remote part, and -began to figure out how they could carry their plan to success. - -"It's too bad that it's too late to put the thing through to-night," -regretted Connelly. "I'd like to put him on the blink for to-morrow's -game." - -"We can't do that of course," replied Fleming. "But even if he wins -to-morrow's game, that will only even up the Series. There'll have to be -at least two more games played and maybe three. We'll get him then." - -"I'll go down and see the captain the first thing in the morning," said -Connelly. "I'm sure he'll fall in with it all right. Then the only thing -that remains to be done is to get Matson within his reach without -rousing suspicion." - -"But that's a mighty big thing," returned Fleming doubtfully. - -"What time does their train for New York leave to-morrow night?" asked -Connelly. - -"Somewhere between eleven and twelve, I believe," answered Fleming. - -"That'll give us all the time we want," declared Connelly confidently. -"Now listen to me." - -"Not quite so loud," admonished Fleming, looking around him nervously. - -The conspirators lowered their voices and talked earnestly. It was -nearly midnight when they parted. - -The next morning dawned brightly and there was every promise of a -glorious day. - -"How are you feeling, Joe?" asked Jim, as the chums were getting ready -to go down to breakfast. - -"Fine and dandy and full of pitching," replied Joe blithely. - -"That sounds good," rejoiced Jim. "Didn't sprain your arm on Fleming -yesterday?" he inquired with a grin. - -"Not so that you could notice it," laughed Joe. "In fact it was just the -exercise I needed. It made up for having no other practice, kept me from -going stale, as it were." - -"It took real friendship to stay around that curve when I was fairly -aching to see you do that fellow up," declared Jim. - -"I'll do as much for you some time," Joe consoled him. - -They had barely finished their meal when word was brought to Joe that -there was somebody waiting in the lobby to see him. - -He went out promptly and was surprised and pleased to find Mr. Anderson, -the old G. A. R. man who had been knocked down by the automobile on the -Long Island road. - -They shook hands heartily. - -"I'm mighty glad to see you!" exclaimed Joe. "I didn't expect you'd be -able to get back to Boston so soon. Those Islip doctors must have been -right on the job." - -"They fixed me up fine," agreed Louis Anderson. "Everybody's been mighty -good and kind to me since I was hurt. You especially, Mr. Matson. I want -to thank you for the money you left for me with the doctors, and which -they handed to me when I was coming away." - -"Oh, that's all right," said Joe, "and half of that was from Mr. -Barclay, the young man who was with me. Here he comes now," he added, as -Jim sauntered out of the dining room and joined them. - -He greeted the old man heartily, who thanked him also for his kindness. -Jim waved it away as a trifle. - -"Found out anything yet as to who those fellows were that ran you down?" -he inquired. - -"Not a thing," said the old man sadly. "I only wish I could. I'd make -them pay for what they did to me." - -"And we'd be witnesses for you," declared Joe warmly. "It was one of the -most brutal things I ever saw." - -"They ought to be made to pay up handsomely," added Jim, "and they'd be -mighty lucky to get off with that." - -"I'm afraid there isn't much chance of ever finding them," the old -man said. "But it wasn't that I came to see you especially about this -morning, Mr. Matson. I heard something last night that I think you ought -to know." - -"Is that so?" asked Joe pleasantly. "What is it?" - -"I was on the Common last night," Anderson replied. "It was so close and -hot that I couldn't sleep, and I thought it might do me good to get the -air. I sat down at the foot of a big tree and I guess I must have gone -to sleep. I was waked up by hearing voices and found that two men were -sitting on a bench the other side of the tree. - -"I didn't pay much attention till I heard one of them mention your name. -Even then I thought they were talking about baseball. But then I heard -one of them say mean things about you. I perked up then and I heard -enough to know that they were planning to harm you in some way." - -Both ball players were listening now with the utmost attention. - -"Did you hear them call each other by name?" asked Joe. - -"One of them spoke to the other as Mr. Fleming----" - -"Fleming!" interrupted Jim, as he shot a quick glance at Joe. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A STIRRING BATTLE - - -"Fleming's got busy in a hurry!" exclaimed Joe. "But just what was it -they were planning to do?" - -"That's just the trouble," answered Anderson. "I don't rightly know -just what mischief they were cooking up. They kept their voices pretty -low most of the time, and then, too, my hearing isn't any too good, -especially since I had that accident. Once I heard one of them say: -'It'll put him on the toboggan all right.' - -"I didn't dare to stir for fear they'd see me, or I'd have tried to edge -around the tree so as to get closer to them. But from the number of -times they spoke your name and the ugly way they did it, I was sure they -had it in for you. - -"I stayed there until they went away and the last thing one of them said -was: 'I'll set the thing going the first thing in the morning.' And the -other one said: 'It can't start too quick for me.'" - -"Did you see what kind of looking men they were?" asked Joe. - -"I peeked out at them as they were leaving, but all I could see was that -one of them was a big, heavy man and the other was slimmer and seemed to -have something the matter with his face. It was puffed up as though he -had the toothache." - -"Fleming, sure enough!" ejaculated Jim, grimly. - -"I guess I know how he got that toothache," Joe remarked grimly. - -"Why, is he any one you know?" inquired Anderson. - -"I'm pretty sure I do," replied Joe. "There aren't likely to be two men -named Fleming who want to do me up." - -"Do be careful now, Mr. Matson," the old man urged. "I can't bear to -think of anything happening to you after all that you have done for me." - -"I'll keep my eyes open," answered Joe. "And I can't thank you enough, -Mr. Anderson, for the trouble you've taken to come and tell me about -this." - -"It's little enough," answered Anderson. "I only wish I could do more. -But I know you must be pretty busy just now, with the big game coming -on, so I'll just jog along. Hope you have luck to-day, Mr. Matson." - -He said good-bye and went away. After he had gone the two friends -looked at each other very long and thoughtfully. - -"What do you make of it, Joe?" asked Jim at length. - -"Why, I hardly know," replied Baseball Joe, slowly. "I wish the old man -had been able to get something a little more definite. The only thing -that seems clear is that that snake is trying to make trouble for me. -But, pshaw! 'Threatened men live long,' you know, and I'm not going to -worry about it." - -But Jim was not inclined to dismiss the matter so lightly. - -"Do you think they might try anything like the drugged coffee game?" he -inquired. "Hartley got away with that once on you, and it might be done -again." - -"Not likely," answered Joe. "But what's the use of worrying? I'm going -to put it right out of my mind for the present. I've got to pitch this -afternoon and I'm not going to think of anything else." - -True to his nefarious promise, Connelly, at just about the same time -that morning, was having a private conversation with the captain of a -tramp ship that was lying at a wharf far down on the Boston harbor front. - -The tramp was a battered, rusty-looking old hooker that seemed to -be about as tough and disreputable looking as the skipper, who was -shouting orders to his crew when Connelly came on board. - -There was a mutual recognition. - -"How are you, Mr. Connelly?" the captain said, as he came forward to -greet the newcomer. "And what is it that's bringing you so far from -Chicago?" - -"How are you, Captain Hennessy?" returned Connelly, cordially grasping -the gnarled hand that was extended to him. "I happened to be in town on -business and I heard you were loading up here. How's the carrying trade -just now?" - -"None too good," replied the skipper. "What with freights 'way down and -the competition of the big liners, it's all we can do to make a living -these days. But come down to the cabin and wet your whistle. Talking's -dry business." - -Connelly needed no urging, and they were soon seated at a table in the -cramped cabin, with a bottle and glasses between them. - -They talked of indifferent matters for a time, and then Connelly -broached the object of his visit. - -"Where are you going this trip?" he asked. - -"Down the South American coast as far as Rio Janeiro," was the answer. -"Porto Rico will be my first stop." - -"And when do you expect to start?" - -"I may finish up loading to-day if I have luck," replied the skipper. -"If so, I'll get my clearance papers and slip out early to-morrow -morning." - -"I suppose you've done a bit of shanghaiing in your day, eh, Hennessy?" -remarked Connelly, jocularly. - -"Many's the time, especially in the old sailing days," grinned Hennessy, -a light of evil reminiscence in his little eyes. "But there's little -call for it nowadays." - -"I was just wondering," went on Connelly, "if you'd do me a favor and -take a fellow along with you on this trip that doesn't want to go." - -"It might be managed," returned the skipper a little doubtfully. - -"There'd be a nice little slice of money in it for you," Connelly -explained. "You see it's a young fellow that's got in with a wild gang -ashore, and his folks think a sea voyage wouldn't do him any harm." - -Hennessy's hesitation vanished at the mention of money and his eyes had -an avaricious gleam. - -"Sure I'll do it!" he exclaimed. And then, with voices slightly lowered, -the pair perfected their scheme. - -A little later Connelly left the ship and walked rapidly away with a -triumphant glint in his vulture-like eyes. - -He found his confederate waiting for him in the same café where they had -met the night before. Fleming jumped up from the table at which he had -been sitting and came rapidly forward to meet him. - -"Well?" he said eagerly. - -"It's all right," responded Connelly. "It didn't take much urging to -turn the trick. I told you he'd be only too glad to oblige me." - -He went over the events of the morning rapidly, and Fleming exulted. - -"So far, so good," he gloated. - -"But the hardest part is yet to come," Connelly reminded him. "We've -got the stage set for the play, and the next thing is to have the chief -actor on hand when the curtain rings up." And then the two talked the -matter over in detail. - -The enthusiasm at Braves Field that afternoon was at fever heat. The -Boston rooters turned out in the biggest crowd of the Series so far. The -last game their favorites had won filled them with confidence, and they -were out to cheer their pets on to another victory. - -Even the knowledge that Matson was to pitch for the Giants, which had -been featured in the morning papers, was not sufficient to daunt them. -They felt that luck was with the Red Sox, as had already been shown in -the accident to Hughson and the rain that had snatched the second game -from the New Yorks. And that luck, they felt sure, would persist. The -wish may have been father to the thought, but there was no doubt as to -the optimism that existed in the home town of the Red Sox. - -The Giants faced the test with quiet confidence. The odd game was -against them, but they looked forward serenely to evening up the score -that afternoon with Baseball Joe in the box. - -McRae had a little talk with his team in the clubhouse before they went -out for practice. - -"Go right in, boys, and eat them up," he exhorted them. "Those fellows -never saw the day they could beat you if you were doing your best. - -"They'll probably put in Roth against you. He's a good southpaw, but -southpaws are just your meat. Look out for that 'bean' ball of his. He's -sure to use it in trying to drive you away from the plate. But don't let -it rattle you for a minute. Be quick to dodge, though, for I don't want -to have any of you hurt at this stage of the Series. - -"And don't let Matson do it all. He can't carry the whole team on his -shoulders. No matter how well he pitches, he can't win unless you bat in -some runs. Hand him a few right from the start. - -"Little old New York is rooting for you to win, boys. Don't fall down -on the job. You'll own the city if you come back with a row of Boston -scalps at your belt. And I know you can do it if you try. Go in and -wallop the life out of 'em." - -There was a cheer which told McRae that his words had gotten "under the -skin," and the Giants dashed briskly out on the field. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -EVENING UP THE SCORE - - -When the gong rang, the Giants started out as though they were going to -sew up the game then and there. - -Burkett set the ball rolling with a wicked drive through the box that -got past Roth before he could gauge it. Larry followed suit with a -smoking hit to left. A prettily placed sacrifice bunt by Denton advanced -both men a base. Roth struck out Willis on three pitched balls, but -Becker came to the rescue with a line drive over second that scored -Burkett easily, though Larry was put out as he made a great slide for -the rubber. - -The net result was only one run, but the most encouraging feature of the -inning was the exhibition of free hitting. - -"Three clean hits in one time at bat is going some," Robson exulted. - -"The boys seem to have their batting clothes on for fair," responded -McRae, vastly pleased. - -"I doubt if that bird will come again for more," judged "Robbie." -"They'll probably take him out and put Fraser in." - -Joe was in fine fettle, and he showed his appreciation of the lead his -mates had given him by retiring the Red Sox without a man seeing first -base. - -Contrary to Robson's prediction, the Boston manager elected still to pin -his faith to Roth, who tightened up after his bad start and for the next -three innings held the Giants scoreless. - -He was helped in this by the superb support given him. Both the outfield -and infield were on their toes all the time, and drives that ordinarily -would have gone for hits were turned into outs in dazzling fashion. - -One magnificent catch by Thompson, the Red Sox catcher, was the feature -of the fourth inning. Iredell, who was at bat, sent up a sky-piercing -foul. Thompson, Hobbs and Roth started for it. - -"I've got it, I've got it!" yelled Thompson. - -The others stopped and Thompson kept on. - -The ball swerved toward the Boston dugout, where the substitutes and -extra pitchers of the team were sitting. - -A shout of warning went up, but Thompson did not falter. With his eye on -the ball and his hands outstretched, he plunged ahead. - -He grabbed the ball in a terrific forward lunge and went head over heels -into the dugout, where his comrades caught him and saved him from -injury. But he still clutched the ball as he was put on his feet, and a -tempest of applause went up in which even the Giants and their partisans -could not help joining. - -"Suffering cats!" exclaimed McRae. "That was a miracle catch." - -"Never saw a better one in all my years on the ball field," Robson -conceded generously. - -Thompson was forced to remove his cap again and again before the crowds -would stop their cheering, and the play put still greater stiffness into -the Boston's defence. - -But they needed something more than a stone wall defence. They had a -lead of one run to overcome, and at the rate Joe was mowing them down, -this seemed a tremendous obstacle. - -Joe had never felt in better form. He had superb control and had not yet -issued a pass. His mastery of the ball seemed almost uncanny. It seemed -to understand him and obeyed his slightest wish. - -His speed was dazzling, and the ball zipped over the plate as though -propelled by a gun. - -"Why don't you line it out?" growled the Boston manager, as one of his -players came back discomfited to the bench. - -"How can I hit 'em if I can't see 'em," the player grunted in excuse. - -But Joe did not rely wholly upon speed. Every once in a while he mixed -in a slow one that looked as big as a balloon as it sailed lazily toward -the plate. But when the batter almost broke his back in reaching for -it, the ball would drop suddenly beneath the bat and go plunk into the -catcher's mitt. - -"If I only dared to pitch that boy in all the remaining games of the -Series!" thought McRae to himself. "He's just making monkeys of those -fellows." - -For six full innings the score remained unchanged. - -Then the storm broke, and a perfect deluge of hits rained from the -Giants' bats. - -Becker began it by whaling out a terrific drive to center that netted -three bases. Iredell followed with a one cushion jolt between second and -short that scored Becker. Joe pumped one to center that was good for a -base; and on the futile throw made to third to catch Iredell, Joe by -fast running got as far as second. Mylert went out on an infield fly, -but the burly Burkett clouted a screaming triple to right, scoring both -of his mates while he rested, grinning, at third. - -Pandemonium broke loose among the Giant rooters. Roth, at a signal from -his manager, drew off his glove, and Landers took his place. - -But the Giants were on a batting spree and would not be denied. Larry -and Denton cracked out singles. Willis went out on a long fly to right, -but Curry pounded out a two-bagger that cleared the bases. A moment -later he was caught stealing third and the inning ended. - -It had netted the Giants six runs, and they were now in the lead by -seven to nothing. - -"Talk about a Waterloo!" shouted Jim, as he fairly hugged Joe in his -delight. - -"What do you think they're doing around the bulletin boards in New York -just now?" Joe laughed happily. - -He was about to pull on his glove to go into the box when McRae stopped -him. - -"I guess you've done enough for to-day, Joe," he said. "I want to save -that arm of yours all I can, and with the lead we've got now the game -seems to be cinched. I'm going to put Markwith in for the rest of it." - -Markwith had few superiors when it came to working for a few innings. -His arm was fresh, and his terrific speed carried him through, although -he was scored on once in the ninth. - -The Giants, "just for luck," added two more runs in the remaining -innings, and when they gathered up their bats at the end of the game the -score was nine to one in the Giants' favor. - -"This is the end of a perfect day," chanted Jim as the hilarious team -hurried from the field. - -"Not quite perfect," objected Larry with a grin. - -"Why, what more do you want, you old glutton?" put in Willis. - -"I'd like to have made it a goose egg for the Sox," responded Larry. - -"Some folks never know when they have enough," remarked Joe. "I'm -not kicking a single bit. That was mighty sweet hitting the boys did -to-day," he added. - -"And mighty sweet pitching, too," returned Larry. "Don't forget that." - -The train did not leave until 11:30 P. M.; so that they had ample time -for leisurely preparation. Joe and Jim dined with their party, who -were quite as joyous over the result of the game as themselves. After -dinner the young men took a quiet little stroll with Mabel and Clara and -returned about nine. - -The girls had left them to make ready for their trip, when Joe was -summoned to the telephone. - -"Hello, Joe," came over the wire. "This is McRae talking." - -"Why, hello, Mac," Joe answered. "I didn't recognize your voice at -first." - -"The connection isn't very good, I guess," was the answer. "But listen, -Joe. I want you to do me a favor." - -"Sure thing," replied Joe promptly. "What is it?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -A HOLE IN THE WEB - - -"It's like this," came the response. "I'm making a call on an old -yachting friend of mine whom I always drop in to see when I'm in Boston. -He's a thirty-third degree fan, but he's laid up with rheumatism and -can't get to the games. I've been bragging to him what a pitcher you -are, and he wants to meet you. Would you mind running down just for a -few minutes? It won't take you long." - -"Of course I will," answered Joe. "Where are you and just how can I get -to you?" - -"His yacht is lying off Spring Street wharf. He'll have a motor boat -there to meet you and bring you over. A taxi will bring you to the wharf -in ten minutes." - -"I'll be there," said Joe. - -"That's bully. Good-bye." - -"Good-bye." - -Joe hung up the receiver and looked around for Jim to leave a message -with him explaining his short absence. But Barclay was not in sight -at the moment, and Joe hastily put on his hat, dashed out, hailed a -taxicab, and a moment later was being whizzed uptown. - -Not more than ten minutes had passed before the cab drew up at the end -of the pier, which at that time was almost deserted. - -"Here you are, sir," announced the driver. - -Joe stepped out and paid him. - -A large motor boat lay at the pier. As Joe looked around, a man stepped -forward. - -"This Mr. Matson, sir?" he questioned respectfully. - -"Yes," answered Joe. - -"Mr. McRae told us to wait for you here, sir. The yacht's lying a little -way out. Will you step on board, sir?" - -Joe stepped into the boat, the moorings were cast off, and to the "chug -chug" of the engine the boat darted out on the dark waters of the bay. - -Joe took his seat on a padded cushion at the stern, noticing as he did -so that there were several husky figures sprawling up near the bow. - -The cool night air was very grateful after the heat of the day, and Joe -took off his straw hat, so as to get the full benefit of the breeze. - -Several minutes passed, and Joe began to wonder that they had not -reached the yacht where McRae was waiting for him. - -"How far out did you say the yacht was?" he asked casually of the man -who was steering. - -The man grunted, but made no intelligible reply. - -"I asked you how far out the yacht was," Joe repeated, a vague -uneasiness beginning to take possession of him. - -At this, a huge figure detached itself from the group forward and -came toward him. It was Hennessy, a sour and evil smile upon his -weather-beaten face. - -"I never heard the old hooker called a yacht before," he grinned, "but -if you must know, it's quite a tidy way down the bay before we come to -it." - -"Why, Mr. McRae said it was lying just off the wharf!" exclaimed Joe. - -"Perhaps Mr. McRae says more than his prayers," was Hennessy's surly -reply. - -The words, with all they implied, struck Joe with the force of a blow. -Like a flash, the warning of Louis Anderson that morning came to his -mind. - -"Look here!" he cried, starting to his feet. "What does this mean? What -game are you up to?" - -"You'll find out soon enough, my bucko," answered Hennessy. "In the -meantime you'd better take my tip and keep a civil tongue in your head. -My temper's rather short, as those who have sailed with me can tell you." - -"Don't threaten me!" warned Joe, all his fighting blood coming to the -surface. - -At his menacing attitude, the men in front rose to their feet and moved -forward. There were three of them, which made the combined force five in -number, counting Hennessy and the man at the wheel. - -Joe cast a swift glance around. There were no boats near at hand which -could be reached by a shout. Nor did he have a ghost of a chance against -the husky figures standing about him. For the moment the advantage was -with the enemy. - -An agony of self-reproach overwhelmed him. Why had he so lightly taken -it for granted that it was McRae at the telephone? Why had he let the -warning of Anderson slip from his mind? - -He had fallen into a trap! Where were they taking him? What was their -object? He thought of Mabel and his family. Into what dread and -consternation they would be plunged by his disappearance! And his -comrades on the team! What would they think of him? - -Hennessy had been watching him keenly. - -"Easy does it," he remarked. "If you want a rough house you can have it, -but take a fool's advice and don't go to starting it. We're too many for -you." - -There was sound sense in the advice, unpalatable as it was, and Joe -recognized it. He must temporize. He wanted to dash his fist into the -ugly face before him, and he promised himself that luxury later on. But -just now he must depend on that nimble wit of his that had so often -helped him to outguess an opponent. - -He sank back in his seat with an affected resignation that was -calculated to put his enemy off guard. It did so in the present case, -as Hennessy chose to consider the action as a surrender. - -"Now you're acting sensible," he grunted. "There ain't no use butting -your head against a stone wall." - -"Where are you taking me?" asked Joe in a lifeless tone. - -"I don't know as there's any harm in telling you, now that we've got so -far," Hennessy answered. "I'm taking you on board my ship, the _Walrus_." - -"What for?" - -"Just to give you a little sea air," grinned Hennessy. "Your folks -thought it would do you good to take a short v'yage down the coast." - -"Down the coast?" - -"South American coast," replied the captain shortly. "You're on your way -to Rio Janeiro." - -Rio Janeiro! Joe's heart thumped violently. - -"You say my folks are in on this," he said, trying to keep his voice -calm. "Just what do you mean by that?" - -"Oh, I've heard all about that gang you're running with and those phony -checks, and the like of that," answered Hennessy. - -"Phony checks?" gasped Joe. - -"Don't be playing innocent," growled Hennessy roughly. "You know well -enough what I mean." - -"But you've got the wrong man," persisted Joe. "I don't know what you're -talking about. I never ran with a gang or handled bad checks. You've -picked me up, thinking I was somebody else. I'm a baseball player, a -member of the New York Giants." - -"They told me you'd probably say something like that," retorted Hennessy -placidly. "But you can't pull any wool over my eyes. I'm too old a hand -for that." - -The man was obdurate, and Joe ceased his useless efforts to convince -him. But he knew now that his case was desperate, and he summoned all -his coolness to cope with the situation. One project after another raced -through his brain, to be dismissed as useless. - -While they had been talking, the motor boat had made rapid progress. But -now a heavy haze was settling over the water and the engine slowed down -a little. - -"Look out, you swab!" shouted Hennessy angrily to the steersman as the -end of a pier loomed up before them. "Do you want to smash the boat?" - -The man veered off. But in that instant Joe had acted. - -His fist shot out, knocking Hennessy off his seat. Like lightning, Joe -jumped on the rail and leaped for the pier, six feet distant. - -[Illustration: JOE JUMPED ON THE RAIL AND LEAPED FOR THE PIER, SIX FEET -DISTANT.] - -It was a long jump from an unstable footing, but Joe made it and -clutched one of the spiles. It was slimy and slippery, but he held on -with all the strength of his trained muscles. His feet, swinging wildly -about, touched the rung of a ladder. In another moment he swarmed up it, -and stood panting and breathless on the wharf. - -"Back her! Back her!" screamed Hennessy from the fog. "Don't let him get -away!" - -Joe chuckled, as he heard the wild splashing of the water and the -pounding of the screw. - -"Good-bye, Captain!" he sang out. "Hope I didn't spoil your beauty. Give -my regards to Rio Janeiro." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -TAKING THE LEAD - - -Baseball Joe wasted little time in reaching the end of the pier. He -hailed a cab at the first thoroughfare he came to and was soon once more -at the hotel. - -He found his party ready to start and wondering where he had gone. - -"Where on earth have you been, Joe?" asked Mabel. "We were beginning to -get worried about you." - -"Oh, I was just called away by a telephone message," Joe parried. - -He had no desire to let the women of the little group know that he was -being made the victim of any hostile machinations. They would have -magnified the danger and worried without ceasing. - -"Well, it's all right as long as you are here now," Mabel said brightly, -flashing Joe one of the dazzling smiles that always made his heart beat -more quickly. - -There had been a tenderer note in her voice ever since he had rescued -her from the reckless ride on which Fleming had taken her. She blushed -when she remembered how she had taken refuge in his arms in her first -paroxysms of relief. It had been instinctive, and she had fled to them -as naturally as she would have gone to those of her brother in similar -circumstances. How strongly those arms had held her and how absolutely -safe they had made her feel! - -Barclay had been looking curiously at Joe ever since the latter had -returned. He had been more alarmed than he would have cared to confess -by his unexplained absence. Knowing his chum so well, he could see that -even now he was laboring under repressed excitement. But his chance -for an explanation did not come until some time later. It was only -after they had bestowed their charges in their Pullman car and had said -good-night and had gone forward to the car in which the Giants were -quartered, that Jim was able to relieve his impatience. - -"Come on now, old man, and tell me all about it," he demanded. - -"All about what?" - -"You know well enough. Quit your stalling and come across with the -story. Where did you go? Who called you up? Get it off your chest." - -Joe readily complied. There was very little he ever kept from Jim, and -just now he felt especially the need of a confidant. - -Jim listened with growing excitement and indignation. - -"The hounds!" he exclaimed hotly. - -"That doesn't begin to express it," said Joe. "It was about as dirty -a piece of business as I ever heard of. It's worthy of a reptile like -Fleming." - -"I'd like to have him here this minute," cried Jim. "I'd repeat the dose -you gave him yesterday." - -"What puzzles me is as to who was in cahoots with him," mused Joe. "He -couldn't have put a thing like that through alone. Think of the wires -that had to be pulled to carry out the plan." - -"I suppose the big fellow that Anderson heard talking with Fleming was -at the bottom of that," conjectured Jim. "It surely was smooth work." - -"Oh, it was all prearranged carefully enough," agreed Joe. "There wasn't -anything left to chance." - -"It was pretty slick, using McRae's name to get you there, too," -commented Jim. "They knew you'd do anything he asked that was -reasonable. What beats me is how they could counterfeit his voice so -that you were taken in by it." - -"Well, you know how it is," Joe replied. "When any one at the telephone -gives you his name you take it for granted. It sounded a little strange, -but it was a pretty good imitation at that. Probably they've rung in -some actor who's accustomed to mimic voices. He could easily have hung -around the hotel and listened to Mac talking, till he got a pretty good -line on his voice. Where I blame myself is that I hadn't kept Anderson's -warning in mind. But I was thinking of other things----" - -"Yes," interrupted Jim dryly. "You'd just been walking with a charming -young lady. I understand." - -He grinned quizzically, and Joe made a friendly thrust toward him which -he adroitly ducked. - -"Well, 'all's well that ends well,'" Joe quoted. - -"If it _is_ ended," said Jim seriously. "They may cook up something -else, now that this has failed." - -"I guess they've shot their bolt," replied Joe lightly. "This will -probably discourage them, and they'll give it up. But it gives me the -cold shivers to think how nearly they put this scheme of theirs across." - -"It was just touch and go," agreed Jim. "You did some mighty quick -thinking, old man," he added admiringly. - -"It was a case of must," answered Joe. "I just had to think quickly, or -it would have been all up." - -"By the way, are you going to say anything to McRae about this?" - -"What's the use?" returned Joe. "There's nothing he could do. It would -only worry him and make him hopping mad, and he's got enough on his mind -as it is. Besides, I couldn't tell him the whole story without bringing -Mabel's name into it, and I'd rather cut off my hand than do that." - -Just at that moment McRae came through the car. He was in high spirits, -and greeted them cordially as he sat down by them. - -"Wouldn't you boys better have your berths made up?" he inquired. "It's -getting pretty late and I want you to be in good shape for to-morrow. -We'll want that game badly, too. It isn't enough to have evened up. We -want to jump right out into the lead." - -"I suppose you're going to pitch Markwith to-morrow," said Joe, after -having signaled the porter and told him to prepare the berths. - -"I'm not sure yet," answered McRae thoughtfully. "He certainly pitched -pretty good ball in those last three innings to-day, and I'll see how he -warms up to-morrow before the game. But just at this present moment I'm -inclined to pitch Barclay." - -Jim's heart began to thump. He had not expected to figure in the Series, -except perhaps as a relief pitcher. It was his first year in the big -league and though he had shown some "crackerjack stuff," he was not -supposed to be seasoned enough to work a full game at such a critical -time. - -To tell the truth, he would not have had a chance of taking part if -it had not been for the accident to Hughson. McRae was famous for the -way he stuck to his veterans, and though he believed in "young blood," -he always took a long time in developing his new pitchers before he -would trust them in a game on which a great deal depended. Sometimes -he kept them on the bench for a year or two, absorbing "inside stuff" -and watching the older players before he considered them ripe for "a -killing." - -But he was hard put to it now to handle his crippled staff to the best -advantage. He did not dare to use Joe too often for fear of hurting -his effectiveness by overwork. Markwith was brilliant but unreliable. -Sometimes he would pitch superbly for the better part of a game. Then -all too often there would be a fatal inning when he would lose his -"stuff" entirely, and before he could be replaced the game would have -gone to pieces. - -"I may pitch Jim to-morrow," McRae went on reflectively. "If he wins, -we will have the edge on the Sox, and I can take a chance on Red for -Friday's game. Then I'll have you, Joe, to put the kibosh on them in the -final game on Saturday. - -"But if Jim loses to-morrow the Sox will have three games tucked away -and only need one more. In that case, Joe, I'm going to pitch you -Friday to even up and Saturday to win. Think you can stand two games in -succession and win out?" - -"I'd work my head off to do it," replied Joe earnestly. - -"It'll put a big strain on your head and arm too," said the manager, -"but you'll have all winter to rest up in afterwards, and we may have to -chance it." - -He chatted with them a minute or two longer, and then, as the berth had -been made up, he left them. - -"Gee whiz, Joe!" ejaculated Jim, as he crept into the upper berth, his -teeth chattering in his excitement. "To think of me pitching a game in -the World Series before that whale of a crowd at the Polo Grounds!" - -"It's the chance of your life, Jim," responded Joe. "You're made as a -pitcher if you win. And you will win, too. I'm sure of it. You had those -fellows right on your staff in that inning or two you pitched at Boston." - -"Well, here's hoping," murmured Jim, getting in between the sheets. "If -I don't, it won't be for lack of trying." - -It was, indeed, a "whale of a crowd" that greeted the Giants on their -victorious return. All New York was jubilant, and comments were rife -everywhere on the gameness of their pets in the fight they were making -against accident and hard luck. - -The team was cheered singly and collectively as they came on the field -and scattered for preliminary practice. McRae and Robson paid especial -attention to the warming up of the pitchers, for up to the last minute -the manager was undecided as to whom he should play. - -Both Jim and Markwith seemed to have plenty of "smoke" as they sent -their slants and benders over. But the older pitcher was inclined to -be wild, while Jim's control was all that could be asked. So with many -inner quakings McRae finally decided that Jim should do the twirling. - -The crowd was somewhat startled when they saw the young "second string" -pitcher going on the mound. They were well aware of McRae's predilection -for his old players, and they wondered at his willingness to-day to take -a chance. - -But whatever may have been their misgivings, there was nothing but the -heartiest applause for the youngster. If generous rooting and backing -would help him to win, he should have them. - -There was a host of Princeton men there, too, and they gave the old -college yell that Jim had heard so often when as an undergraduate he had -twirled for the Orange and Black. - -But, perhaps, if the truth were told, Jim's greatest incentive came from -the fact that Clara was watching him from a box in the upper stand, her -pretty face flushed and her bright eyes sparkling. It was astonishing -how much that young woman's approbation had come to mean to Jim in the -short time he had known her. - -He was a little nervous at the start, and Cooper, the first man up, drew -a base on balls. He was nipped a moment later, however, in an attempt to -steal, and with the bases again empty Jim fanned Berry and made Loomis -chop a grounder to Larry that resulted in an easy out at first. - -"Bully for you, old man!" cried Joe, encouragingly. "You got through -that inning finely. The first is usually the hardest because you're -finding your bearings. Besides, you've got rid of the head of their -batting order." - -Fraser was in the box for the Red Sox, and it looked at the start as -though he were going to prove fully as good as in the first game. For -four innings he turned back the New Yorks, who seemed to have lost all -the hitting ability they had shown the day before. - -"What's the matter with the boys?" growled McRae, uneasily. "It would -help Barclay a lot if they handed him something to go on." - -The New Yorks gave him that lead in the fifth. Denton and Willis -singled, and Denton scored when Cooper, the right fielder, lost Becker's -fly in the sun and it went for a double. Becker was forced at third on -Iredell's bouncer to Girdner, and both Willis and Iredell scored when -Berry made a wild throw of a sharp hit by Curry. - -This ended the scoring for the inning, but those three runs, in the -words of Robson, looked very "juicy." - -The lead, of course, was very gratifying to Jim. It seemed to put -him on "easy street." But at the same time it was dangerous, because -it was calculated to give him, perhaps, too much confidence. And -over-confidence was a perilous thing to indulge in when the Bostons -happened to be one's opponents. - -Jim waked up to this fact in the very next inning, when Walters -straightened out one of his incurves with a mighty wallop to the fence -on which he easily circled the bases. Two more hits sandwiched in with -a pass yielded one more run, and McRae began to look uneasy. A rattling -double play got Jim out of what had begun to look like a bad hole, and -the rally was choked off then and there. - -It had been a bad inning for him, but Jim was a thoroughbred, and he -braced. - -In the next three innings they only garnered four more hits, and of -these only two were "Simon pure." Loomis got a hit past Denton when the -latter was running to cover the base. Then Stock chopped one to the box -that took a puzzling bound and went for a single. Girdner lined out a -scorcher to center in the eighth and Walters sent one to the same place -in the final frame. But this was the sum total of their endeavors and -the Giants had no need of playing out their half of the ninth. - -It was a very creditable victory for the "kid" pitcher of the Giants. -Once more the New Yorks had the upper hand in the desperate fight for -the Series. Jim had won his spurs and could count hereafter on taking -his regular turn in the box. - -The roars of the crowd were like music in Jim's ears. Still more -grateful were the praise and congratulations from his comrades on the -team. But, perhaps, he treasured more than all the shy tribute that came -that evening from the lips of a remarkably pretty girl. - -"You were just splendid to-day, Mr. Barclay," said Clara, her eyes -shining brightly. "Just splendid!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -PLOTTING MISCHIEF - - -The feeling in Boston was in marked contrast to that in the metropolis, -when the news was flashed over the wires that for the second day in -succession the Red Sox had lost. - -To be sure they were by no means out of it, and a victory the next day -would leave the clubs even up. But the odds now were on the New York -side, especially as it was certain that Baseball Joe would pitch in one -of the games. - -The Red Sox stood in no particular fear of Markwith, although his -ability was freely recognized. Still he could be handled. But they had -the profoundest respect for Joe, not to say dread, and they had begun -to share the feeling that he had the game won when he appeared upon the -mound. - -Perhaps by none was this conviction felt more keenly than by two men -who sat at a table in a café. A groan had just arisen from a throng -surrounding the ticker and in that groan the two men read defeat. - -"That makes three games the Giants have won," growled Connelly. "One -more and the Series is theirs." - -"But they haven't won that other one yet," suggested Fleming, whose face -by this time had renewed more nearly its usual appearance, "and it's up -to us to see that they don't." - -"That sounds good," growled Connelly. "But so did our other plan sound -good. But you see what came of it." - -"It not only sounded good but it was good," replied Fleming. "You know -as well as I do that we only missed putting it over by an eyelash." - -"I haven't got over wondering yet how Matson slipped out of that net," -Connelly ruminated. "It seemed a dead open and shut certainty that we -had him." - -"He's a slippery customer," said Fleming, "but because we didn't get him -once doesn't say that we won't the next time. But whatever we do, we'll -have to do in a hurry. He's to be in Boston only one more day." - -"What was it you were telling me about that Hartley?" asked Connelly. - -"I don't know how much there may be in that," answered Fleming, -thoughtfully. "The fellow's fearfully sore on Matson for some reason -or other that I can't just make out. He'd like well enough to do him a -personal injury, too, if he could. - -"I got him away from the gang he was ranting to and had a little talk -with him. But I wouldn't dare trust him to do any rough work. He's half -full all the time; and then, too, I think he's a little crazy. He'd be -apt to spill the beans in anything he might undertake. - -"There's only one thing, though, in which he may be of some help to us. -He's on to the signals used by the Giant pitchers and he offered to give -them away. That might help some in a close game." - -"It might," reflected Connelly. "But it isn't sure enough. The pitchers -might tumble to the game and change their signals. Still, we'll use him, -on the off chance that it may help if we don't think of anything better." - -"The only sure way of beating Matson," observed Fleming, "is to see that -he doesn't go on the field at all." - -Connelly looked up quickly. - -"Nothing like that," he grunted. "I've told you already that I wouldn't -stand for any rough stuff. America wouldn't be big enough to hold a man -who'd do that." - -"Hold your horses," retorted Fleming. "Who's talking about injuring or -killing him? I'm no more anxious to go to the electric chair than you -are." - -"Well, what's the game then?" asked Connelly. - -"Here's the dope," answered Fleming. "You see by the score that Barclay -pitched for the New Yorks to-day?" - -"Yes," agreed Connelly. - -"That gives McRae a little margin to go on," continued Fleming. "He -could afford to lose to-morrow's game and still be even on the Series. -Then he'd still have Matson as his ace for Saturday's game in New York. - -"Now suppose it works out that way. Markwith pitches, we'll say, and -loses." - -"I'm listening," said Connelly. - -"Then the deciding game will be played on Saturday at the Polo Grounds. -The Giants will be before their home crowd. Matson goes in to pitch. -What's the answer?" - -"A victory for New York," replied Connelly, grinding his teeth. - -"Probably," agreed Fleming. "Now there's just one thing to be done. -When the Giant team leaves Boston to-morrow night for New York, _Matson -mustn't go with them_." - -He almost hissed the last words, all the venom he felt toward Joe -showing in his eyes. - -Connelly thumped the table with his ponderous fist. - -"You mean that he must be kidnapped?" he exclaimed. "You think we may -put it over better on land than we did on the water?" - -"That's rather an ugly word," warned Fleming, looking around to see that -they were not overheard, "and perhaps it would be better not to use it. -What I mean is that in some way he must be kept from taking the train -late Friday night or the early train Saturday morning. After that it -doesn't matter what he does. - -"You see," he went on, "there wouldn't be any come-back in a thing like -that. There'd be no need to hurt him. The whole thing would only cover -about twelve hours. After nine o'clock on Saturday morning he could be -set at liberty and be free as air. But he'd be in Boston and he couldn't -possibly get a train then that would land him in New York in time for -the game." - -"It might work," reflected Connelly. "It's worth trying, anyhow, unless -we think of something better. But it's going to take a good deal of neat -work to carry it through." - -"It will," admitted Fleming. "And it's going to be all the harder -because he'll probably be on his guard after what nearly happened to him -the other night. But I think it can be done. The first thing is to get -the services of half a dozen men that can be trusted to do just as they -are told. Do you know of such a bunch that you can lay your hands on?" - -"Moriarity does," replied Connelly, referring to the henchman whom -Fleming had been introduced to on the occasion of his first meeting -with Connelly. "He knows the tough side of Boston like a book. He could -get us just the gang we need in less than no time." - -"That's good," commented Fleming. "I'd get him busy at once." - -"Sure thing," confirmed Connelly. "And now let's get down to the fine -points. We don't want to have any slip up this time." - -What followed was almost in whispers. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -A RANDOM CLUE - - -Mr. Beckworth Fleming would, no doubt, have been interested in knowing -that while he was speaking of Joe in Boston the latter was discussing -him in New York. - -It was Reggie who had first brought in his name, as he stood with Joe -and Jim in the lobby of the Marlborough, waiting for the others of the -party to come down on the way to the train. - -"Funny thing happened to-day, don't you know," he remarked. "Fellow -sitting in the box next to me at the grounds got to talking about an -auto accident that happened on Long Island a little while ago." - -Joe and Jim pricked up their ears. - -"What did he say about it?" Joe asked eagerly. - -"Why, I heard him say that it was the wildest ride he had ever had, and -that he'd been wondering ever since how they got through it without -getting pinched. Said that half the time the car was going on two -wheels. Once they knocked down a man on the Merrick road, and they had -come near to smashing up a car they passed just before that." - -"That describes the accident to Anderson," broke in Jim. - -"Yes, and don't you remember how near they came to running into us just -before that?" added Joe. "But did you get any clue as to who the fellows -were?" - -"I didn't hear any full names," replied Reggie, "but several times the -man who was telling the story referred to the reckless driving of 'old -Beck,' whoever that might have been." - -"Beck, Beck," mused Jim. "That isn't much of a hint. The directory is -full of Becks." - -A thought suddenly came to Joe. - -"Fleming's first name is Beckworth, isn't it?" he asked Reggie. - -"Yes," replied Reggie. - -"And wouldn't it be natural for his cronies to speak of him as Beck?" -Joe went on. - -"Sure," said Reggie. "As a matter of fact, I've often heard them refer -to him in that way." - -"And he's known as a reckless driver, isn't he?" asked Joe, going back -in memory to the way in which Fleming had handled the car on that -memorable afternoon when he had rescued Mabel from his clutches. - -"Yes," Reggie responded. "In fact, he seems to take a sort of pride -in it. I've often heard him tell how often he had been arrested for -speeding." - -"It begins to look as though he might have been mixed up in that -Anderson affair," mused Jim. - -"Yes, but that's a mighty slender basis to go on," answered Joe. "Of -course he'd deny it, and we couldn't prove it if we had nothing to back -it up with." - -"By Jove!" exclaimed Reggie. "Now that you come to speak of it, I -remember catching sight of Fleming at the Long Beach Hotel when we were -dining there. He was sitting at a table in the further corner of the -room. I thought of going over to speak to him, but I noticed that he was -with a pretty noisy party, and as the girls were with us I passed it up." - -"Well, now, that's something more like proof!" exclaimed Joe, with -animation. "That brings him near the scene of the accident on the day it -happened. He's a reckless driver and his pals often spoke of him as 'old -Beck.' I believe he was the fellow that knocked the old man down." - -"It looks like it," agreed Jim, "and from what we've learned of the -fellow since, I think he's just the kind that would go on without trying -to help or stopping to see what he had done. But even now we haven't -anything that would convince a jury." - -"No," agreed Reggie. "Moral proof isn't legal proof by a long shot. The -one thing we need to clinch the matter is the number of the car that -held the party." - -"What a pity we didn't get it," fumed Joe. - -"We weren't to blame for that," replied Reggie. "They were going so -fast and raising such a cloud of dust that we couldn't see it. That is, -we didn't get it in full. Seems to me, though, that I heard you say -something, Joe, about some numbers that you caught sight of." - -"That's so," confirmed Jim. "What were they, Joe? Do you remember?" - -"There was a seven and a four," answered Joe. "But I couldn't be sure -that they were next to each other. There may have been another figure in -between. And anyway, as there were probably five or six figures in the -whole number, that isn't very much to go on." - -"I tell you what," cried Jim, eagerly. "Every car is registered in the -State Registry Bureau, isn't it?" - -"Yes," answered Reggie. "Mine is, I know. They put down the name of the -man when they give him his number." - -"Exactly!" returned Jim. "What's the matter then with our making -inquiries at the proper department and finding the number of the car -that is registered as owned by Beckworth Fleming?" - -"The very thing," assented Reggie. "But when we find it, what then?" - -"Nothing, perhaps," Jim admitted. "And then, on the other hand, it may -mean a great deal. Suppose, for instance, the number has a seven and a -four in it?" - -"That would certainly bring it much closer to Fleming," observed Joe, -thoughtfully, "and it would make us that much surer in our own minds -that he's the man in question. But it would still fall far short of -legal proof." - -"Bother legal proof!" snapped Jim. "The one point is that all these -things taken together would make us feel so sure that we were on the -right track that we'd feel justified in accusing Fleming to his face of -having done it." - -"I see!" exclaimed Joe, his eyes kindling. "You mean to put up a great -big bluff and try to catch him off his guard." - -"That's what," agreed Jim. "Trust to his guilty conscience. He knows -whether he did it or not, and he won't be sure how much we know. If we -act as if we were sure we have him dead to rights, he may give himself -away. Try to explain or excuse it and in that way admit it. At any rate, -it seems to me it might be worth trying. We can't lose and we may win." - -"By Jove!" exclaimed Reggie. "I believe it might work." - -"It's a dandy idea," approved Joe, warmly. - -"It would do me a whole lot of good to make him come across handsomely -to Anderson," said Jim. "The old man needs money badly, and Fleming -has a good deal more than is good for him. And he can consider himself -mighty lucky if he gets off with only a money payment." - -"Well, whatever we do in that line, we'll have to do right away," -remarked Joe. "To-morrow's the last day we'll be in Boston, and I'd like -to fix up the matter at once. Anderson we know is there and Fleming -probably will be, too." - -"I wish we'd known of this earlier," remarked Jim. "Of course all the -official departments are closed by this time." - -"Yes," said Joe, "but I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll ask Belden -here at the desk to look up the matter for us the first thing to-morrow -morning. He can find out the number and call me up on the long distance -'phone to Boston. We ought to know all about it as early as ten o'clock." - -"The very thing," said Jim. - -Joe went over to the hotel desk, where Belden, the night clerk, had just -come on duty. He was a warm admirer of Baseball Joe, and, like everybody -in New York just then, was happy to do anything he could for the famous -pitcher of the Giants. - -"Mr. Belden," Joe began, "I want to ask a favor of you." - -"Only too glad, Mr. Matson," replied the clerk, his face wreathed in -smiles. "What is it?" - -"I'd like you to call up the city office of the State Registry Bureau, -Broadway and Seventy-fourth Street, early in the morning," said Joe, -"and find out the number of the car owned by a Mr. Beckworth Fleming. -Then I'd like to have you call me up on the long distance 'phone, of -course at my expense, and let me know what it is. If you'll do this for -me I'll be greatly obliged." - -The clerk made a note of the name and also of the hotel where Joe would -stay in Boston. - -"I'll do it without fail, Mr. Matson. You can depend upon me." - -Joe thanked him and returned to his party, which had now been joined by -Mr. and Mrs. Matson and the girls. A couple of taxicabs were pressed -into service, and they were carried to the Grand Central Terminal where -they embarked on the last trip that was to be made to Boston during the -Series. - -"What with the game to-morrow and perhaps this Fleming matter on our -program, I imagine we're going to have our hands full," Jim remarked in -an aside to his friend. - -"Yes," laughed Joe, "it looks like a busy day." - -But just how busy a day it was destined to be it would have startled him -to learn. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -A BLUFF THAT WORKED - - -Every member of Baseball Joe's little party had by this time become -thoroughly acquainted with every other, and they formed a very congenial -group. - -Mr. and Mrs. Matson, as Joe had predicted when he had sent on for them -to come, were having the time of their lives. The great world had opened -up its treasures for them after the long years they had spent in their -quiet village, and they were enjoying it to the full. And their delight -in the new vista opened up was, of course, immeasurably increased by -their pride in Joe and his achievements so far in the World Series. - -Mabel, too, had taken them right into her heart and had won their -affection from the start. They could easily see how things stood with -her and Joe and were eagerly ready to welcome her into a closer relation. - -Reggie was full of life and good-nature, and his knowledge of city life -made him invaluable as a guide and companion. As for Clara, she was in -a perpetual flutter of happiness. Was she not with her idolized brother? -Was she not tasting the delights of a broader life that she had often -read of and longed for but scarcely dreamed of seeing? And had not that -handsome Mr. Barclay shown himself a devoted and perfect cavalier? Could -any girl barely out of her teens possibly ask for more? - -So it was a happy party that laughed and chatted as the train sped -through the night toward Boston. - -"Our last trip to Boston, for a while at least," smiled Mabel. - -"I wonder whether the Series will be settled there or at the Polo -Grounds," remarked Clara. "It would be glorious if when we come back -to-morrow night the Giants should have won the Series." - -"Well, we have two chances to the Bostons' one, anyway," observed Jim. -"They _must_ win to-morrow or they're goners. We can lose to-morrow and -still have a chance." - -"A chance!" objected Clara. "You ought to say a certainty." - -"I've learned already that there's nothing certain in baseball," laughed -Jim. - -"But Joe will be pitching that last game," returned Clara, as though -that settled the question. - -Joe laughed. - -"I wish I could make the Red Sox feel as sure of that as you do, Sis. If -they did, they'd quit right at the start." - -"Well, they might as well, anyway," declared Clara, with assured -conviction. - -"What is this I see in the paper about a tour of the world after the -Series is over?" asked Mr. Matson. - -"Why, there's nothing very definite as yet," answered Joe. "McRae has -been giving some thought to the matter, I believe. If we win the Series, -we could go with the prestige of being the champions of the world, which -would be a big advertisement. Mac could easily get up another team -composed of crack players which could be called the All National or the -All America Nine. Then the two teams could travel together and give -exhibition games in most of the big cities of the world." - -"Would there be much money in it?" asked Reggie. - -"Oh, probably not so much, after all the expenses were taken out," Joe -answered. "Possibly there might be a thousand dollars for each player. -Some of the trips have panned out as much as that." - -"Then this isn't entirely a new idea," remarked Joe's father. - -"Oh, no," replied his son. "It's been done before. The boys have always -drawn big crowds and aroused a good deal of interest." - -"And they'd do that to-day more than ever," put in Jim. "Baseball is no -longer simply an American game but a world game. You'll find crack teams -even in Japan and China." - -"It would be a wonderful experience," remarked Reggie. - -"You bet it would!" exclaimed Joe, enthusiastically. "Think of playing -ball in sight of the Pyramids! We'd take in all the great cities of Asia -and Europe and some in Africa. It would be a liberal education. And -instead of spending money in making a tour of the world, we'd be paid -for taking it." - -"Rather soft, I call it," laughed Jim. - -"How long would the party be gone?" asked gentle Mrs. Matson, who was -somewhat alarmed by the prospect of her boy being separated from her by -the width of the globe. - -"Oh, not more than five months or so," Joe replied. "The boys couldn't -very well get started much before the first of November, and they'd have -to be back for spring training." - -"They won't need much training, I imagine," remarked Jim. "They'll have -been playing while the other fellows have been loafing. They ought to be -in first class shape to begin the season." - -"Of course," observed Joe; "it isn't a dead sure thing that we'll go, -even if we win the Series. And if we lose, it's dollars to doughnuts -that Mac will call the whole thing off." - -It was getting rather late, and Joe and Jim said good-night to the -others and sought their berths. - -They were up and abroad earlier than usual the next morning, for the -matter of the automobile accident promised to engross all the time they -could spare from the game. - -Reggie was able to find out for them the place at which Fleming was -putting up in Boston. Having ascertained from the clerk that he was -still staying there, the next thing was to get hold of Louis Anderson. - -Jim hurried up to the address the old man had given them. It was in a -humble neighborhood, but the three rooms in which Anderson and his wife -were living were neat and clean. - -Jim did not want to raise false hopes, in the light of the imperfect -information he had. So he told Anderson that he thought he had a clue, -though he was not at all sure, as to the men who had run him down. - -"Do you think you would be able to recognize the man who was driving, if -you should see him?" Jim inquired. - -"I'm sure I could," answered Anderson. "He was on the side nearest me -and I got a good look at his face just as the car bore down on me." - -"That's good," replied Jim. "Now if you'll get ready and jump in with -me, we'll go down to where Mr. Matson is." - -The old man complied eagerly, and they were soon on their way down town. - -Joe, in the meantime, had hovered in the vicinity of the telephone, -waiting impatiently for the long distance call. - -Shortly after nine o'clock it came. - -"Is this Mr. Matson?" the voice inquired. "Good morning, Mr. Matson. -This is Belden talking. I called up just now at the registry office -and found that the number of Mr. Beckworth Fleming's car is 36754. Did -you get that? 3-6-7-5-4. Yes, that's it. Not at all, Mr. Matson. Don't -mention it. Glad to be of service. Hope you win to-day. Good-bye." - -Joe stared at the number that he had jotted down as Belden had called it -off. 36754. There were the two figures, 7 and 4, the 7 coming first as -he remembered. - -It was not proof. But it was corroboration, enough, anyway, to justify -the audacious bluff that he had in mind. - -Jim returned shortly afterward with Louis Anderson, who greeted Joe, -gratefully. - -"It's an awful lot of trouble you two young men are putting yourselves -to for me," he declared in a grateful voice. - -"That's all right," returned Joe. "It was a dastardly thing that was -done to you, and the man who did it has got to pay for it if we can make -him. But you mustn't build your hopes too high. We've only probabilities -to go on instead of certainties." - -They stepped into the taxicab which Jim had retained, and were soon at -the Albemarle where Fleming was stopping. - -"Suppose he refuses to receive us when the clerk sends up your card," -asked Jim. "You can't very well force your way into his rooms." - -"There isn't going to be any card," replied Joe. "Reggie gave me the -number of his suite and we'll just go up in the elevator without being -announced." - -"But he may slam the door in your face when he sees who it is," Jim -remarked. - -"I've got a pretty capable foot," grinned Joe, "and I guess I can keep -the door from being shut." - -They got off at the fourth floor and walked along the corridor till they -reached the number for which they were looking. - -Fleming was already engaged with a visitor. He and Big Connelly were in -earnest conversation when Joe rapped on the door. Fleming looked up with -some irritation at being interrupted. - -"What does that clerk mean by not announcing a caller?" he growled. - -"I'll just step into the bedroom while you see who it is," said -Connelly, tiptoeing into the adjoining room. - -Fleming went to the door and opened it. He started back in surprise -and alarm when he saw Joe's face. Then with a snarl he started to slam -the door, but Joe thrust his foot between the door and the jamb. Then -he gave a push with his brawny shoulder and the next moment he and his -companions were in the room. Jim coolly shut the door and stood with his -back to it. - -"What does this mean?" shouted Fleming, almost stuttering with rage. -"Get out of here this minute or I'll have you thrown out." - -"No, you won't," replied Joe, coolly. "I've got a little business with -you, Fleming, and I don't go out till it's finished." - -Before the cold gleam in his eye, Fleming shrank back. - -"If you attempt any violence----" he began in a voice that trembled. - -"There isn't going to be any violence unless you make it necessary," Joe -interrupted. "Though I ought to give you another thrashing for that trap -you laid for me the other night." - -"I don't know what you mean," growled Fleming, sullenly. - -"Oh, yes you do. But we'll let that go. I came here this morning to tell -you that we've identified you as the driver of the car that ran this -man down on the Merrick Road and then went on without stopping to see -how badly he was hurt." - -The accusation was so sudden, so positive, so direct, that, as Joe had -hoped, it took Fleming fairly off his feet. He stood staring wildly at -the group, his face an image of guilt. Then he tried to rally. - -"It's false!" he shouted. "I didn't do anything of the kind." - -"No use of lying, Fleming," said Joe, coldly. "We've got the goods on -you." - -"He's the man!" cried Louis Anderson, excitedly. "He had a cap on then, -and his face was red, as though he was drunk, but he's the same man. I -could swear to him." - -"You're crazy," snarled Fleming. "I wasn't on Long Island that day." - -"Didn't you have dinner at the Long Beach Hotel that day, eh?" asked Joe. - -"N-no," Fleming denied, avoiding Joe's eyes. - -"Yes, you did," declared Joe, sternly. "And afterward you nearly crashed -into the machine I was in. I saw you hit this man. I looked for the -number on your car. The number of that car is 36754. Ever heard those -figures before, Fleming?" - -His eyes were like cold steel now and seemed to be boring Fleming -through and through. He seemed so sure of his facts, so unwavering and -relentless, that Fleming crumpled up. The arrow shot at a venture had -reached its mark. - -"It was the old fool's own fault," he growled, casting aside all further -pretence of denial. "If he hadn't run in front of the machine he -wouldn't have got hurt." - -"It wasn't so," cried Anderson. "You were swerving all over the road. -Your crowd was shouting and singing. You didn't blow your horn. You were -half drunk. And after you hit me you didn't stop." - -"We're his witnesses," said Joe. "And I don't think he'd have any -trouble in getting heavy damages from a jury." - -"Let him try it," snarled Fleming. "I've got more money than he has and -I'll fight the case through every court. He'll die of old age before he -ever gets a cent from me." - -"Oh, I don't think so," remarked Joe, carelessly. "I don't suppose you'd -care to go to jail now, would you, Fleming?" - -"It isn't a question of jail," replied Fleming. - -"Oh, yes it is," rejoined Joe. "You may not know that a law has been -passed making it a prison offense in New York State to run away after -knocking a man down with an auto and not stop to see what you can do for -him." - -"I don't believe it," said Fleming, going white. - -"I know what I'm talking about," answered Joe, in a voice that carried -conviction. "You'd better come to your senses, Fleming. We've got you -dead to rights. You ran this man down. You've admitted it. You ran away -without stopping. Half a dozen of us saw you do it. Nothing can save you -from going behind the bars if the matter is pressed. You'll do the right -thing by this man, or I'll see that you're arrested the minute you set -foot in New York." - -"What do you mean by the square thing?" asked Fleming, who now was -thoroughly wilted. - -"We're not unreasonable," said Joe. "You came within an ace of killing -this man. He had to go to a hospital. At his age he'll feel the effect -of the shock as long as he lives. It will probably shorten his life. A -jury under those circumstances would certainly give him several thousand -dollars. I think you ought to give him at least two thousand. Will that -be satisfactory, Mr. Anderson?" - -The old man nodded. - -Fleming reflected a moment. Then he nodded surlily. - -"I'll do it," he muttered. - -"And do it to-day, if you please," Joe went on smoothly. "I want to know -that this thing is settled before I go back to New York. Write down your -address, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Fleming or his lawyer will be up to see -you before night. And I'll run up myself before I leave, to see whether -it has been done." - -There was a threat in the last words that warned Fleming against any -attempt at evasion or delay. The latter agreed with a nod of his head. - -There was no pretence of a farewell that would have been mere hypocrisy -under the circumstances, and without a word Baseball Joe's party left -the room, while Fleming stared after them with baffled rage and hate in -his eyes. - -Once more in the taxicab, Anderson broke out with a flood of thanks that -Joe waved aside lightly. - -They drove around by way of his humble home and left him there, and then -went hurriedly down to their hotel. - -Left to themselves in the car, Jim and Joe looked for a long time -steadily at each other. Then Jim burst out into a roar. - -Joe grinned happily. - -"Joe," cried Jim when his paroxysms had subsided, "as a bluffer you're a -wonder, a real wonder!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -STEALING SIGNALS - - -Fleming sat in his chair, limp and sprawling, after the departure of the -trio who had burst in on him so unexpectedly. So swept and exhausted was -he by the tide of emotions aroused by their visit that he had forgotten -all about the presence of Connelly in the adjoining room, and only -became conscious of it when the fellow plumped himself down in the chair -beside him. - -"Some stormy session," he remarked, as he lighted a fat, black cigar. - -Fleming only growled in reply. - -"Don't wonder that you feel sore," Connelly commented. "They certainly -put the skids under you in great shape. That Matson is a bird and no -mistake." - -"I'll get even with him yet," Fleming broke out stormily. "I won't let -him crow over me. I won't pay that money." - -"Oh, yes, you will," returned Connelly, calmly. "He's got you where -the hair is short in that matter of the jail. It mightn't have been so -bad if you'd kept your nerve and denied everything. But he got you so -rattled that you admitted knocking that fellow down and then the gravy -was spilled." - -"What was the use of keeping it up?" queried Fleming. "He had the facts." - -"Maybe he did," admitted Connelly, doubtfully, "and then again he may -have had only some half facts and made a bluff at the rest. He's got -nerve enough to do it. I have to hand it to him. But now you have -admitted it, you'll have to pony up. What's a couple of thousand to you, -anyway?" - -"It isn't so much the money," Fleming muttered gloomily. "It's knowing -that he got it out of me and is probably laughing at me this minute." - -"Let him laugh," said Connelly, with the philosophy that it is so easy -to use where others are concerned. "We'll have our laugh later on. But -you want to get that money paid right away, because if we put over on -Matson what we're planning, he'll be so furious that he'll send you to -jail sure. But if the thing is settled, he'll be helpless. - -"Another thing, unless I'm very much mistaken, Matson himself has given -us a mighty valuable tip. He's put a spoke in his own wheel." - -"What do you mean?" asked Fleming. - -"Didn't you hear him say that he was going to run up to-night to that -old man's house to see whether you'd come across or not?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, where could we have a better chance for pulling off our little -game? It's probably a poor neighborhood with the lights none too good -and where a scrap wouldn't attract much attention because it's a common -thing. Moriarity and his bunch could be on hand and the rest would be as -easy as taking a dead mouse from a blind kitten." - -"By Jove, the very thing!" ejaculated Fleming, a look of malevolent -delight coming into his face. - -"Sure it is," chuckled Connelly. "I'll get word to Moriarity at once. -In the meantime, you'd better settle. Take in all you can of the -neighborhood while you're doing it." - -"Even if Markwith wins this afternoon and so ends the Series, I'd like -to put this through on Matson just the same," snarled Fleming, viciously. - -"No we won't," declared Connelly, decidedly. "I'm out to keep him from -winning the Series and nothing else. If Markwith wins, the game's up, -anyway, and the thing ends for me right there. But if he loses I've got -a chance, and I'll see that Matson doesn't pitch the last game." - -All Boston seemed to have turned out that afternoon at Braves Field. The -enormous seating accommodations were taxed to capacity. It was the last -chance the loyal Bostonians would have to see their favorites in action. -And the fact that if they lost to-day their chance for the world's -pennant was gone brought the excitement to a delirious pitch. - -Landers was in the box for the Bostons while Markwith twirled for the -Giants. Before the game had gone three innings it was seen that both -these gladiators were out to do or die. There was an unusual number of -strike outs and the bases were occupied only at infrequent intervals. -Up to the fifth it was little more than a pitcher's duel. But after -that, though Landers kept his effectiveness, the Red Sox began to get to -Markwith more frequently. It was not that the latter seemed to have let -down a particle. His speed and his curves were working beautifully, but -in a way almost uncanny the Bostons seemed to know what kind of ball was -coming next and set themselves for it accordingly. - -In the sixth they gathered two runs. Burkett had clouted out a home run -for the Giants in their half, but that left them still one short of a -tie. - -Boston started the seventh with a rattling two-bagger to center. - -"I don't understand it," muttered McRae, uneasily. "Markwith never -seemed to be in better shape. He's got a world of smoke." - -"They seem to know just what he's going to feed them," commented Robson. -"It almost looks----" - -He was interrupted by a sharp exclamation from Joe. - -"Look over there by the Boston dugout!" he exclaimed excitedly. "There's -Hartley just behind the screen whispering to Banks. I'll bet that skunk -is giving away Markwith's signals!" - -They looked in the direction indicated. Banks, the Boston second string -pitcher, was lolling carelessly against the railing of the grandstand, -idly chewing on a wisp of straw. Hartley's face behind the screen was -not two feet away from Banks' ear. - -As Markwith prepared to wind up for the next pitch, Hartley leaned -forward a trifle and his lips moved. A glance and an almost imperceptible -sign passed between Banks and the man at the plate. Then as a low -incurve came sweeping up, the batsman caught it square on the seam for -a line single to left. - -"Great Scott!" cried McRae, leaping up from the bench. "They're stealing -our signals!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII - -A BLOW IN THE DARK - - -McRae rushed over to the umpire. - -"There's a fellow over there in the grandstand giving away our signs," -he stormed. - -Cries of derision came from the stands. - -"Hire a hall!" - -"Write him a letter!" - -"Play ball!" - -The umpire called time and walked over with McRae to where Banks was -standing. - -"Get away from there," he ordered. - -"Why?" asked Banks, impudently. - -"Never mind why. Get away I tell you." - -There was nothing left but to obey and Banks sauntered off. - -"And as for you," said the umpire, addressing Hartley, "if I see you -talking to any of the players I'll have you put out of the park." - -"You're a disgrace to the National League," cried McRae, glaring at -Hartley, "and I'll see that you get all that's coming to you for this -bit of work." - -"Aw, what's eating you?" retorted "Bugs" sullenly. "I wasn't doing -anything." But he seemed to shrivel up before the rage in his former -manager's eyes, and for the rest of the game obeyed the umpire's -injunction. - -Markwith and Mylert, who was catching him, instantly changed their signs -and the Bostons scored no more. But the damage was already done, for -Landers was doing some demon pitching, and the game ended with the score -two to one in favor of the Red Sox. - -It was a hard game to lose, and Markwith received nothing but condolence -and sympathy from his mates. He had pitched superbly and though beaten -was not disgraced. - -"I wonder how much that traitor got for giving away his own league," -said Joe, bitterly. - -"Probably just enough to fill up his wretched skin with booze," returned -Jim. "Fellows like him come cheap." - -"He won't get another chance," put in McRae, angrily. "I'll have the -stands searched to-morrow, and if he's there he'll be bundled out neck -and heels." - -Once more the hard-won lead of the Giants had vanished into thin air. -But they took heart of hope and braced up for the struggle on the -morrow. They were to play on their own grounds and Joe would be in the -box. - -All the members of Joe's party were boiling over with indignation. If -anything they took the defeat harder than the players themselves, who -had learned in a hard school to take what was coming to them and brace -up for revenge. - -"Well, to-morrow's a new day and what we'll do to those fellows then -will be a caution," Jim declared philosophically. - -Perhaps his cheerful view of things was increased by the fact that Clara -had promised to let him take her for a cozy little spin to see Bunker -Hill Monument by moonlight. The moon just then was in high favor with -these two young people. - -It was arranged that the pair need not come back to the hotel, but that -Jim could bring Clara directly to the train. Mr. Matson and Reggie would -escort the others. - -Joe grudged every minute spent away from Mabel and stayed with her as -long as he could that evening. But he had promised to drop in on Louis -Anderson to see that the arrangement with Fleming had been carried out, -and at last he left her reluctantly, promising to see her again on the -train if only long enough to say good-night. - -But though he was deprived of her physical presence, his thoughts were -full of her as he was whisked away in the car he had summoned, and the -time passed so quickly that he was surprised when the driver drew up in -front of Anderson's house. - -"Wait for me here," he directed as he stepped out. "I'll only be a few -minutes." - -"Very well, sir," was the response. - -Hardly had Joe gone inside when a man stepped up to the curb. - -"I want you to take me to the North Station," he said, preparing to step -inside. - -"Sorry, sir," was the answer, "but I'm waiting for the fare I brought -here." - -"But I must get that train, I tell you," persisted the other. "I'll pay -you anything you want. Ten dollars, fifteen even." - -The driver was tempted. - -"Make it twenty and I'll go," he said. "I suppose the gentleman can pick -up another car." - -"Sure he can," replied the other. "Twenty it is. Get a move on, now." - -He got inside and the car whizzed away. - -Joe found Anderson and his wife radiant. - -"He did it, Mr. Matson!" the old man cried. "He grumbled a lot about -having had to telegraph on to New York to have his bank wire the cash -to him, but he did it. And I signed a paper giving him a release of all -claims against him. Oh, Mr. Matson, we can never thank you enough for -what you have done for us." - -His wife joined in his expressions of gratitude. - -"Don't mention it," smiled Joe. "I only did what any decent man would -do to right a great wrong. And you squared the account when you gave me -that warning the other day. I was just on the point of stepping into a -trap when I thought of the warning and it saved me." - -"Is that so?" cried Anderson, delightedly. "I'm mighty glad if it helped -you." - -They chatted happily for a few minutes and then, as his time was getting -short, Joe took his leave with their repeated thanks ringing in his ears. - -He was dumbfounded when he saw that the taxicab was not there. - -"Where in thunder is that fellow?" he asked himself. "I suppose he's -getting a nip in the nearest saloon." - -But when, after a minute or two spent in waiting, no car appeared, Joe -started for the nearest thoroughfare, three short blocks away. - -He was just passing the second corner when a man stepped out of the -shadows with something in his hand. - -"Hi, there, stop!" - -"What do you want?" demanded Joe, trying to make out the face in the -darkness. - -"I want you!" hissed the man. - -He took a step closer and raised the object he carried in his hand. - -Joe tried to dodge, but it was too late. - -There was a quick blow. Joe felt no sense of pain. Rather it was a -gradual sinking, sinking, ten thousand fathoms deep! - -Then the famous young baseball player became unconscious. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX - -QUICK WORK - - -Joe's father and mother, together with Mabel and Reggie, had reached the -station a few minutes before train time, and Clara and Jim, who might be -excused for tarrying, had joined them a little later. They were somewhat -puzzled at not finding Joe on the platform. - -"You folks get on anyway," suggested Jim. "Probably Joe is up in the car -with the team. McRae may have nabbed him to have a talk with him." - -After they were safely in their coach, Jim hurried forward to the -Giants' cars. He went through both of them, but before he had finished -his search the gong rang and the train started. - -"Seen anything of Joe?" he asked McRae. - -"No," was the answer. "I suppose he's in the car behind with his folks." - -"But he isn't," replied Jim. "I thought I'd find him here." - -"What?" fairly yelled McRae, springing to his feet. "You don't mean to -say he's missed the train?" - -In an instant all was agitation. - -The smoker was first searched, then every car in the train from end to -end, but, of course, Joe was not to be found. - -McRae and Robson were wild and the rest of the team were glum. - -"Of course, he can get that eight o'clock train in the morning," was -the only comfort McRae would allow himself. "That will get him to the -grounds in time, but he won't be in good shape to pitch right after the -trip." - -But Jim had reasons of his own for fear, and a cold sweat broke out on -him as he thought of Fleming. But he put on as good a face as possible -in order to reassure the girls and the rest of Joe's party, who were -torn with anxiety and apprehension. - -It was broad daylight when Joe woke to a sense of his surroundings. His -head swam and it was some time before he could recall the events of the -preceding night. - -He was in a shabby room, sitting on the floor against the wall with his -hands tied behind him. As his brain cleared he was conscious of a face -looking at him curiously. There was a sweet sickly odor in the room. - -"Waking up, eh?" asked Moriarty with a grin. - -"You'll pay for this," said Joe, thickly. - -Moriarty laughed. - -"Now don't get sore," he counseled. "Nobody's going to hurt you. You'll -be out of this in a little while now. We're going to let you go just as -soon as the New York train has gone." - -Joe tried to digest this. Why should they keep him from getting the -train for New York. Then in a blinding flash his brain woke from its -daze. - -It was the day of the last game! And he was in Boston! And if he missed -the morning train he could not get to New York before the game was over! - -His heart turned sick. What would McRae and the rest of the boys say? -What would Mabel and the folks think? - -He pictured the consternation when he should fail to turn up in time. -The team would be demoralized. Whom would they pitch? Only Jim was -available and he had pitched two days before. And he would be so full of -worry over his friend that he could not be at his best. - -Was the World Series then to be lost? Was the splendid fight the boys -had put up to go for nothing? - -"You only got a little tap on the head," Moriarty was saying. "It was -just enough to make you quiet, and chloroform did the rest. We didn't -figure to be any rougher than we had to be." - -Joe made no reply but he was thinking hard and fast. - -He tested the bonds that held his hands behind him. They seemed tight -but not excessively so. Probably his captors had put most of their faith -in the chloroform. - -With as little apparent exertion as possible, he began to stretch and -strain at them. His powerful wrists and hands seemed endowed with double -their ordinary strength and to his delight he could feel the cords give. - -Moriarty was alone with him, but Joe could hear low voices in an -adjoining room. One of them he thought he recognized as Fleming's, and -his teeth gritted with rage. - -At last he wriggled one hand free, although he had rasped his wrist till -he felt it was bleeding. A moment more and he had freed his other hand, -though he still kept both behind him. - -Moriarty was yawning after his night's vigil. - -"What time is it now?" Joe muttered sleepily. - -"Just a little after eight," Moriarty answered. "The train's just about -started now, but we'll let you cool your heels here for another hour or -so. Then you can walk the ties if you want to." - -"You've got me pretty well trussed up here," said Joe. "The fellow who -tied these knots knew his business." - -"Yes," said Moriarty, complacently, strolling over to look at them. -"He's a dandy when it comes to doing----" - -But he got no further. - -As he bent down, Joe's muscular hands darted out and clutched him by -the throat. The yell he started to give was stifled at its birth. In a -moment Joe was on top of him with his knee on his chest. - -Moriarty struggled as hard as he could, but his liquor-soaked frame -speedily collapsed before Joe's onslaught, and in a moment he lay limp -and senseless. Then Joe flung him aside and rose to his feet. - -He rubbed his legs vigorously to restore the circulation until he felt -the strength coming back into them. - -There was but one door leading from the room. Joe went to it on tiptoe. -He could still hear the murmur of voices. He flung the door open -suddenly and burst into the adjoining room. - -Fleming and Connelly sprang to their feet in consternation. With a -powerful uppercut, Joe sent Fleming crashing to the floor. Connelly -retreated and Joe had no time to bother with him. - -He flung himself down the stairs and out into the street. Half a block -away he saw a taxicab coming toward him. He rushed toward it. - -"To the South Station!" he gasped. "Quick! Quick! Quick!" - -In an amazingly short time, the taxicab, running at high speed, landed -him at the depot. Joe saw by the station clock that it was a quarter to -nine. - -Frantically, he sought out the traffic manager and ordered a special. - -"I must be in New York by one o'clock," he cried. "I must, I tell you. -Never mind the price. Get me a special." - -The official hummed and hawed. "It would take a little time to make it -up, to get a car. It would----" - -"Don't wait for a car," interrupted Joe, in frenzy. "I'll ride on the -locomotive." - -In ten minutes the train despatcher had arranged for the right of way, -and one of the road's fastest locomotives puffed up. Joe sprang into the -cab, the engineer flung the throttle open and they were off. - -"Can you make it?" questioned our hero, anxiously. - -"We'll make it or bust," was the grim response of the engineer. - -He was one of the oldest and most reliable men on the road and as Joe -looked at him he felt his confidence rising. - -Yet a good many miles lay between our hero and New York City. - -And a hundred things might happen to delay the special. - -On and on they went, humming over the steel rails at such a rate of -speed that Joe could scarcely see the telegraph poles. - -Suddenly the engineer pulled on a lever and the big locomotive slackened -speed so quickly that our hero was all but thrown to the floor of the -cab. - -"Wh--what's the matter?" he gasped, when he could catch his breath. - -"Signal against us," was the short reply. "It's O. K. now;" and once -more the locomotive sped on its way. - -"Phew! you have to have your eyes open, don't you?" - -"That's it--just like you do, when you are pitching," answered the old -engineer. - -"Some work, running a locomotive," mused the young baseball player. "I -guess an engineer earns all the money he gets." - -Half an hour later came another scare. Again the locomotive pulled up, -this time to allow an automobile full of people to pass over the tracks. -An instant sooner and the big engine would have ground the "joy riders" -to death. - -"Meet such fools almost every trip," said the engineer. "Seems as if -they wanted to be killed." - -"Why don't you have gates at such crossings?" - -"It would cost too much money to have a gate at every crossing," was the -explanation. "We do have 'em on the main roads. That was only a little -dirt road--I don't know why the auto was on it. I wasn't looking for -anything faster than a farm wagon or a buggy." - -"You must have some accidents?" - -"Oh, yes, but not many, considering the risks we run. But we wouldn't -have hardly any accidents if the folks were a bit more careful. But some -of 'em don't heed the warnings. They will read a 'Safety First' sign and -then run right into danger, just as if they were blind," went on the old -engineer, with a grimace. - -They were now on an upgrade, but presently they gained the top of the -rise and down they streaked on the other side, at a rate of speed that -fairly took Joe's breath away. - -"Some running, and no mistake!" he gasped. "You must be making a mile a -minute, or better!" - -"Running at the rate of seventy-five miles an hour. But we can't keep -it up. Here is where we slow down," and they did so, as a long curve -appeared in the tracks. - -"I don't know as I want to be a locomotive engineer. You run too fast." - -"And I don't want to be a baseball player--you pitch too fast," chuckled -the old engineer. - -"Well, everyone to his own calling, I suppose." - -On they plunged in the wildest ride Baseball Joe had ever known. Under -arches and over bridges, thundering through towns with scarcely a -lessening of speed, past waiting trains drawn up on side tracks to give -the special the right of way, on, on, lurching, swaying, tearing along, -until at ten minutes before one the panting engine drew up in the yards -at New York City. - -The game was to begin at two. - -Baseball Joe leaped into a taxicab with orders to scorch up the -pavements in a mad dash to the Polo Grounds. Then the clubhouse, into -which Joe tumbled, covered with grime and cinders, amid the frantic -exclamations of the rubbers and attendants. Then the cooling shower -and a quick shift into his uniform, after which Joe, cool, collected, -thoroughly master of himself, strolled out on the field where the whole -Giant team forgot their practice and made a wild rush for him. - -He had fought a good fight. He had kept the faith. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX - -A GLORIOUS VICTORY - - -There was a mad scramble and Joe was almost pulled to pieces by his -relieved and exulting mates. Then came a torrent of questions which Joe -good-naturedly parried. - -"After the game, boys, I'll tell you all about it," he said, "but just -now I want to get a little practice in tossing them over." - -"Didn't I tell you that nothing could stop that boy from getting here?" -crowed Robson, gleefully. - -"I thought so myself," answered McRae, "but when they 'phoned up to me -that he hadn't come in on that regular morning train, I thought our -goose was cooked." - -In some mysterious way, though McRae had tried to keep it a profound -secret, the news had got abroad that something had occurred that would -keep Matson out of the game, and the crowds that had put their chief -reliance on that mighty arm of his had been restless and fearful. So -when they recognized him the stands rocked and thundered with applause, -and the general relief was not much less than that felt by the Giants -themselves at the return of their crack pitcher. - -But it was toward an upper box that Joe's eyes first turned. There was -a wild flutter of handkerchiefs and clapping of hands. Mabel and Clara -were leaning far out and waving to him. But Mrs. Matson's face was -hidden by her handkerchief, and Joe saw his father quietly slip his arm -around her. Joe did not dare to look any longer for he suddenly felt a -dimness come over his own eyes, and he hastily turned to the tremendous -task that confronted him. - -For that afternoon he was fighting against odds. His head was still -aching from the effects of the blow and the chloroform. The rocking of -the engine had made his legs unsteady. And the only food he had had -since the night before was a sandwich he had sent for while he was -slipping into his uniform. - -But it is just such circumstances that bring out the thoroughbred strain -in a man, and as Baseball Joe took his place in the box and looked -around at the enormous crowd and realized the immense responsibility -that rested on him, he rose magnificently to the occasion. Gone was -weariness and pain and weakness. His nerves stiffened to the strain, and -the game he pitched that afternoon was destined to become a classic in -baseball history. - -The first ball he whipped over the plate went for a strike. A second -and a third followed. And from that time on Joe knew that he held the -Bostons in the hollow of his hand. - -There are times when to feel invincible is to be invincible. Joe was -in that mood. He was a glorious figure of athletic young manhood as -he stood there with forty thousand pairs of eyes riveted upon him. He -had discarded his cap because the band hurt his head where he had been -struck, and his brown hair gleamed in the bright sun as he hurled the -ball with deadly precision toward the batter. Like a piston rod his arm -shot out untiringly and the ball whistled as it cut the plate. - -"Gee whiz, see that ball come over!" muttered McRae. - -"He'll wear himself out," said Robson, anxiously. "It isn't in flesh and -blood to keep up that gait for nine innings." - -Fraser was in the box for the Bostons, and he, too, was pitching -first-class ball. But the Giants by the end of the fourth inning were -beginning to solve his delivery. The hits were getting a sharper ring -to them and going out more on a line. But superb fielding helped the -Bostonian out of several tight places and he "got by" until the fifth. - -Then the Giants broke the ice. Larry sent a corking single out to -center. Denton whaled out a tremendous hit that had all the earmarks of -a home run. But Walters, by a wonderful sprint, got under it and Larry, -who had rounded second, had all he could do to get back to first before -the throw in. - -"Highway robbery," growled Denton, as he went disconsolately back to the -bench. - -Willis went out on strikes, but Becker poled out a crashing three-bagger -that brought Larry over the rubber for the first run of the game and -sent the stands into hysterics. - -Becker was caught napping a moment later and the inning ended. The New -Yorkers were hilarious while the Boston rooters were correspondingly -depressed. - -"You're getting to him, boys!" yelled McRae. "We'll drive him to the -tall timber before long." - -But Fraser had views of his own on that subject and refused to be -driven. He had no ambition to be slaughtered to make a New York holiday. - -Still, though he uncorked a dazzling assortment of shoots and slants, -the Giants scored another run in the sixth though it took two singles, -two passes and a wild pitch before it was finally recorded. - -Iredell beat out a slow roller to Hobbs and took second on a single by -Curry to right field. Both of them were advanced a base on a wild pitch -that just touched the tips of Thompson's fingers as he leaped for it, -and rolled all the way to the Bostons' dugout before it was regained. -Joe was purposely passed, Fraser thinking that with the bases full a -double play might pull him out of danger. - -Mylert hit to Hobbs, forcing Iredell at the plate, although he made a -great slide. Another pass given to Burkett forced Curry home for the -second run of the game, leaving the bases still full. Larry was at the -bat and there was a great chance to "clean up," as he was frantically -urged to do by the excited spectators. But the best he could do was to -tap weakly to Fraser who fired it back to the plate making a force out. -Thompson, in turn, shot it to Hobbs in plenty of time to get the runner, -making a sharp and snappy double play. - -"We ought to have made more out of that than we did," growled McRae. -"That's what I call bush league work. To have the bases full twice and -as the result of it all one little measly run!" - -"Never mind, John," chuckled Robson. "It's one more to the good, anyway, -and even if it is measly I'll bet that Boston would be mighty glad to -have one like it." - -In the seventh inning, Walters, the first man up, sent up a high foul -that Burkett and Mylert started for at once. Larry, who was field -captain, shouted to Burkett to take the ball. But Mylert either did not -hear or trusted to his own judgment and collided forcibly with the first -baseman, both going to the ground with a crash, while the ball dropped -between them. - -The other players rushed to the spot and lifted the players to their -feet. Luckily, they were not unconscious although badly shaken, but it -was fully five minutes before the game was resumed. - -Walters' second effort was a sharp grounder straight at Denton, which -the latter shot to first in plenty of time. But the ball went high and -rolled almost to the right field wall. By the time it was retrieved, -Walters had got around to third amid the frantic acclamations of the -Boston rooters who thought they saw at last a chance to score. - -With a man on third, no man out and some of the heaviest sluggers coming -up, it looked as though the Red Sox would break their string of zeros. - -A long fly to the outfield, even though caught, would in all probability -bring in Walters from third. - -But Joe tightened up and struck out the next man up in three pitched -balls. He made Hobbs chop a bounder to the box on which Walters did not -dare to try for the plate. Then with two out he beguiled Girdner into -sending up a towering foul which Mylert caught almost without stirring -from his position. Poor Walters, left at third, hurled his cap to the -ground in a movement of despair, and the gloom about the Boston section -of the stands could be fairly felt. - -The Bostons now were growing desperate. They bunted. They tried to wait -Joe out. They sought to rattle him by finding fault with his position in -the box. They put in pinch hitters. They pulled all the "inside stuff" -they knew. - -But Joe obstinately refused to "crack." He "had everything" on the ball. -His change of pace was perfect. His curves worked beautifully. His drop -ball broke sharply, inches below their bats. - -"All over but the shouting," chuckled McRae, as the Red Sox came in for -their last inning. - -But two minutes later he was pale as chalk while the Boston partisans -were in delirium. - -Girdner sent an easy grasser to Larry, who booted it, and the batter -reached first. Stock followed with a bunt that Denton slipped down on -as he ran in for it. These mishaps must have got on Burkett's nerves, -for he squarely muffed Thompson's pop fly that any "busher" could have -caught. - -There were three men on bases, though none had made a hit. No man was -out, and Cooper, the slugger of the Boston team, was coming to the plate. - -A hit of any kind would bring in two men and tie the game. A two-bagger -would clear the bases and put Boston in the lead. The Red Sox rooters -were on their feet and screaming like mad. - -Joe shot over a ball at which Cooper refused to "bite." The next one, -however, suited him better, and he sent it hurtling toward the box like -a bullet. - -Joe saw it coming two feet over his head. Like a flash he leaped up and -caught it in his ungloved hand. He turned and shot it over to Denton at -third. Denton touched the bag putting out Girdner who had turned to go -back and then got the ball down to Larry before Stock could get back to -second. - -It was a triple play! The game was over, the Series was won and the -Giants had become the champions of the world! - -For a moment the crowd was fairly stunned. Then wild howls and yells -arose and an uproar ensued that was deafening. Staid citizens forgot -their dignity and danced up and down like madmen, utter strangers hugged -each other, straw hats were tossed into the air or smashed on their -owners' heads. Then the crowd hurdled over the stands and swooped down -on the players who were making tracks as fast as they could for the -clubhouse to escape the deluge. - -"A no-hit game! A triple play!" gasped McRae, as he almost wrenched -Joe's arm from its socket. "Joe, you're a wonder. And now for that tour -around the world. You've got to go with me, Joe. I won't take No for an -answer. You'll be our greatest drawing card." - -How Joe accepted the invitation and the startling events that followed -will be told in the next volume of the series, to be entitled: "Baseball -Joe Around the World; Or, Pitching on a Grand Tour." - -It was a long time before Joe could tear himself away from his hilarious -team-mates and reach his party at the Marlborough. How his mother cried -over him in her joy and pride, how Mr. Matson wrung his hand and patted -his shoulder hardly trusting himself to speak, how Clara hugged and -kissed him, how Mabel would have liked to do the same but did not dare -to, how Jim and Reggie mauled and pounded him--all this can be easily -guessed. They were happy beyond all words. - -But there was an impalpable something in the air that gradually thinned -out the party. Mrs. Matson motioned her husband to come with her. Jim -and Clara, only too glad of the excuse, slipped away, casting a roguish -glance behind them, and even the obtuse Reggie remembered a letter he -had to write and vanished. - -Joe and Mabel, left alone, looked at each other, but Mabel's eyes fell -instantly before what they read in Joe's. Her cheeks flushed, her breath -came faster and she began to tremble. - -"Mabel," Joe began, a trifle huskily. - -"Yes, Joe," she faltered. - -He took her little glove from his pocket and bent toward her tenderly. - -"This little glove of yours has done wonders for me," he said. "It has -helped me to win two championships. But these victories are nothing to -me unless I win you, too. Will you be my wife, Mabel--will you? You know -I love you." - -He read his answer in the beautiful eyes full of love and trust that she -turned up to his. The next instant she was in his arms. - -Decidedly, it was Joe's winning day. - -And that good right arm of his had made it a winning day also for hosts -of others. The whole National League was aflame with exultation. The -city of New York was wild with joy. And every member of the Giant team -was tasting the delights of victory to the full. - -They had all played their parts well and ably. But they knew perfectly -well that more credit belonged to Joe than to any one else and they were -loud in their praises of his skill and courage. - -"I've seen some dandy pitching in my life," Robson declared to the group -of Giant players who had gathered round for an impromptu jollification, -"but that performance of Matson's this afternoon was far and away the -best of all. He was as cool as a cucumber and it was impossible to -rattle him. He couldn't have done better. He's the greatest pitcher in -the League to-day, barring none!" - -"Right you are!" exclaimed McRae, clapping him on the shoulder. "I tell -you, Robbie, it was a great day for New York when I signed Baseball Joe -for the Giant team!" - - -THE END - - - - -THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES - -BY LESTER CHADWICK - -_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid._ - - -[Illustration] - - BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS - _or The Rivals of Riverside_ - -Joe is an everyday country boy who loves to play baseball and -particularly to pitch. - - - BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE - _or Pitching for the Blue Banner_ - -Joe's great ambition was to go to boarding school and play on the school -team. - - - BASEBALL JOE AT YALE - _or Pitching for the College Championship_ - -Joe goes to Yale University. In his second year he becomes a varsity -pitcher and pitches in several big games. - - - BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE - _or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_ - -In this volume the scene of action is shifted from Yale college to a -baseball league of our central states. - - - BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE - _or A Young Pitcher's Hardest Struggles_ - -From the Central League Joe is drafted into the St. Louis Nationals. A -corking baseball story all fans will enjoy. - - - BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS - _or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_ - -How Joe was traded to the Giants and became their mainstay in the box -makes an interesting baseball story. - - - BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES - _or Pitching for the Championship_ - -The rivalry was of course of the keenest, and what Joe did to win the -series is told in a manner to thrill the most jaded reader. - - - BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD - _or Pitching on a Grand Tour_ - -The Giants and the All-Americans tour the world, playing in many foreign -countries. - - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -Alive, Patriotic, Elevating - -BANNER BOY SCOUTS SERIES - -By GEORGE A. WARREN - -Author of the "Revolutionary Series" - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, Net. - - -[Illustration] - -The Boy Scouts movement has swept over our country like wildfire, and is -endorsed by our greatest men and leading educators. No author is better -qualified to write such a series as this than Professor Warren, who has -watched the movement closely since its inception in England some years -ago. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS - _or The Struggle for Leadership_ - -This initial volume tells how the news of the scout movement reached -the boys and how they determined to act on it. They organized the Fox -Patrol, and some rivals organized another patrol. More patrols were -formed in neighboring towns and a prize was put up for the patrol -scoring the most points in a many-sided contest. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS ON A TOUR - _or The Mystery of Rattlesnake Mountain_ - -This story begins with a mystery that is most unusual. There is a good -deal of fun and adventure, camping, fishing, and swimming, and the young -heroes more than once prove their worth. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS AFLOAT - _or The Secret of Cedar Island_ - -Here is another tale of life in the open, of jolly times on river and -lake and around the camp fire, told by one who has camped out for many -years. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS SNOWBOUND (_New_) - _or A Tour on Skates and Iceboats_ - -The boys take a trip into the mountains, where they are caught in a big -snowstorm and are snowbound. A series of stirring adventures which will -hold the interest of every reader. - - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE WEBSTER SERIES - -By FRANK V. WEBSTER - - -[Illustration] - -Mr. Webster's style is very much like that of the boys' favorite author, -the late lamented Horatio Alger, Jr., but his tales are thoroughly -up-to-date. - -Cloth. 12mo. Over 200 pages each. Illustrated. Stamped in various colors. - -Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. - - Only A Farm Boy - _or Dan Hardy's Rise in Life_ - - The Boy From The Ranch - _or Roy Bradner's City Experiences_ - - The Young Treasure Hunter - _or Fred Stanley's Trip to Alaska_ - - The Boy Pilot of the Lakes - _or Nat Morton's Perils_ - - Tom The Telephone Boy - _or The Mystery of a Message_ - - Bob The Castaway - _or The Wreck of the Eagle_ - - The Newsboy Partners - _or Who Was Dick Box?_ - - Two Boy Gold Miners - _or Lost in the Mountains_ - - The Young Firemen of Lakeville - _or Herbert Dare's Pluck_ - - The Boys of Bellwood School - _or Frank Jordan's Triumph_ - - Jack the Runaway - _or On the Road with a Circus_ - - Bob Chester's Grit - _or From Ranch to Riches_ - - Airship Andy - _or The Luck of a Brave Boy_ - - High School Rivals - _or Fred Markham's Struggles_ - - Darry The Life Saver - _or The Heroes of the Coast_ - - Dick The Bank Boy - _or A Missing Fortune_ - - Ben Hardy's Flying Machine - _or Making a Record for Himself_ - - Harry Watson's High School Days - _or The Rivals of Rivertown_ - - Comrades of the Saddle - _or The Young Rough Riders of the Plains_ - - Tom Taylor at West Point - _or The Old Army Officer's Secret_ - - The Boy Scouts of Lennox - _or Hiking Over Big Bear Mountain_ - - The Boys of the Wireless - _or a Stirring Rescue from the Deep_ - - Cowboy Dave - _or The Round-up at Rolling River_ - - Jack of the Pony Express - _or The Young Rider of the Mountain Trail_ - - The Boys of the Battleship - or For the Honor of Uncle Sam - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE BOYS' OUTING LIBRARY - - _12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full color. - Price, per volume, 60 cents, postpaid._ - - -[Illustration] - -=THE SADDLE BOYS SERIES= - -BY CAPT. JAMES CARSON - - The Saddle Boys of the Rockies - The Saddle Boys in the Grand Canyon - The Saddle Boys on the Plains - The Saddle Boys at Circle Ranch - The Saddle Boys on Mexican Trails - - -=THE DAVE DASHAWAY SERIES= - -BY ROY ROCKWOOD - - Dave Dashaway the Young Aviator - Dave Dashaway and His Hydroplane - Dave Dashaway and His Giant Airship - Dave Dashaway Around the World - Dave Dashaway: Air Champion - - -=THE SPEEDWELL BOYS SERIES= - -BY ROY ROCKWOOD - - The Speedwell Boys on Motorcycles - The Speedwell Boys and Their Racing Auto - The Speedwell Boys and Their Power Launch - The Speedwell Boys in a Submarine - The Speedwell Boys and Their Ice Racer - - -=THE TOM FAIRFIELD SERIES= - -BY ALLEN CHAPMAN - - Tom Fairfield's School Days - Tom Fairfield at Sea - Tom Fairfield in Camp - Tom Fairfield's Pluck and Luck - Tom Fairfield's Hunting Trip - - -=THE FRED FENTON ATHLETIC SERIES= - -BY ALLEN CHAPMAN - - Fred Fenton the Pitcher - Fred Fenton in the Line - Fred Fenton on the Track - Fred Fenton on the Crew - Fred Fenton: Marathon Runner - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -THE TOM FAIRFIELD SERIES - -By ALLEN CHAPMAN - -Author of the "Fred Fenton Athletic Series," "The Boys of Pluck Series," -and "The Darewell Chums Series." - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. - -Tom Fairfield is a typical American lad, full of life and energy, a boy -who believes in doing things. To know Tom is to love him. - - -[Illustration] - - TOM FAIRFIELD'S SCHOOLDAYS - _or The Chums of Elmwood Hall_ - -Tells of how Tom started for school, of the mystery surrounding one of -the Hall seniors, and of how the hero went to the rescue. The first book -in a line that is bound to become decidedly popular. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD AT SEA - _or The Wreck of the Silver Star_ - -Tom's parents had gone to Australia and then been cast away somewhere -in the Pacific. Tom set out to find them and was himself cast away. A -thrilling picture of the perils of the deep. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD IN CAMP - _or The Secret of the Old Mill_ - -The boys decided to go camping, and located near an old mill. A wild man -resided there and he made it decidedly lively for Tom and his chums. The -secret of the old mill adds to the interest of the volume. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD'S PLUCK AND LUCK - _or Working to Clear His Name_ - -While Tom was back at school some of his enemies tried to get him into -trouble. Something unusual occurred and Tom was suspected of a crime. -How he set to work to clear his name is told in a manner to interest all -young readers. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD'S HUNTING TRIP - _or Lost in the Wilderness_ - -Tom was only a schoolboy, but he loved to use a shotgun or a rifle. In -this volume we meet him on a hunting trip full of outdoor life and good -times around the camp-fire. - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE KHAKI BOYS SERIES - -BY CAPT. GORDON BATES - -_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full color._ - -_=Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid.=_ - - -[Illustration] - -_All who love the experiences and adventures of our American boys, -fighting for the freedom of democracy in the world, will be delighted -with these vivid and true-to-life stories of the camp and field in the -great war._ - - - THE KHAKI BOYS AT CAMP STERLING - _or Training for the Big Fight in France_ - -Two zealous young patriots volunteer and begin their military training. -On the train going to camp they meet two rookies with whom they become -chums. Together they get into a baffling camp mystery that develops into -an extraordinary spy-plot. They defeat the enemies of their country -and incidentally help one another to promotion both in friendship and -service. - - - THE KHAKI BOYS ON THE WAY - _or Doing Their Bit on Sea and Land_ - -Our soldier boys having completed their training at Camp Sterling are -transferred to a Southern cantonment from which they are finally sent -aboard a troop-ship for France. On the trip their ship is sunk by a -U-boat and their adventures are realistic descriptions of the tragedies -of the sea. - - - THE KHAKI BOYS AT THE FRONT - _or Shoulder to Shoulder in the Trenches_ - -The Khaki Boys reach France, and, after some intensive training in sound -of the battle front, are sent into the trenches. In the raids across -No-Man's land, they have numerous tragic adventures that show what great -work is being performed by our soldiers. It shows what makes heroes. - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -THE MOTOR GIRLS SERIES - -By MARGARET PENROSE - -Author of the highly successful "Dorothy Dale Series" - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid. - - -[Illustration] - -Since the enormous success of our "Motor Boys Series," by Clarence -Young, we have been asked to get out a similar series for girls. No -one is better equipped to furnish these tales than Mrs. Penrose, who, -besides being an able writer, is an expert automobilist. - - THE MOTOR GIRLS - _or A Mystery of the Road_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON A TOUR - _or Keeping a Strange Promise_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS AT LOOKOUT BEACH - _or In Quest of the Runaways_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS THROUGH NEW ENGLAND - _or Held by the Gypsies_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON CEDAR LAKE - _or The Hermit of Fern Island_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON THE COAST - _or The Waif from the Sea_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON CRYSTAL BAY - _or The Secret of the Red Oar_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON WATERS BLUE - _or The Strange Cruise of the Tartar_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS AT CAMP SURPRISE - _or The Cave in the Mountain_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS IN THE MOUNTAINS - _or The Gypsy Girl's Secret_ - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE DOROTHY DALE SERIES - -By MARGARET PENROSE - -Author of "The Motor Girls Series" - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid. - - -[Illustration] - -Dorothy Dale is the daughter of an old Civil War veteran who is running -a weekly newspaper in a small Eastern town. Her sunny disposition, her -fun-loving ways and her trials and triumphs make clean, interesting and -fascinating reading. The Dorothy Dale Series is one of the most popular -series of books for girls ever published. - - DOROTHY DALE: A GIRL OF TO-DAY - DOROTHY DALE AT GLENWOOD SCHOOL - DOROTHY DALE'S GREAT SECRET - DOROTHY DALE AND HER CHUMS - DOROTHY DALE'S QUEER HOLIDAYS - DOROTHY DALE'S CAMPING DAYS - DOROTHY DALE'S SCHOOL RIVALS - DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY - DOROTHY DALE'S PROMISE - DOROTHY DALE IN THE WEST - DOROTHY DALE'S STRANGE DISCOVERY - DOROTHY DALE'S ENGAGEMENT - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE KHAKI GIRLS SERIES - -BY EDNA BROOKS - -_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors._ - -_=Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid.=_ - - -[Illustration] - -_When Uncle Sam sent forth the ringing call, "I need you!" it was not -alone his strong young sons who responded. All over the United States -capable American girls stood ready to offer their services to their -country. How two young girls donned the khaki and made good in the Motor -Corps, an organization for women developed by the Great War, forms a -series of stories of signal novelty and vivid interest and action._ - - - THE KHAKI GIRLS OF THE MOTOR CORPS - _or Finding Their Place in the Big War_ - -Joan Mason, an enthusiastic motor girl, and Valerie Warde, a society -debutante, meet at an automobile show. Next day they go together to the -Motor Corps headquarters and in due time are accepted and become members -of the Corps, in the service of the United States. The two girl drivers -find motoring for Uncle Sam a most exciting business. Incidentally they -are instrumental in rendering valuable service to the United States -government by discovering and running down a secret organization of its -enemies. - - - THE KHAKI GIRLS BEHIND THE LINES - _or Driving with the Ambulance Corps_ - -As a result of their splendid work in the Motor Corps, the Khaki Girls -receive the honor of an opportunity to drive with the Ambulance Corps in -France. After a most eventful and hazardous crossing of the Atlantic, -they arrive in France and are assigned to a station behind the lines. -Constantly within range of enemy shrapnel, out in all kinds of weather, -tearing over shell-torn roads and dodging Boche patrols, all go to make -up the day's work, and bring them many exciting adventures. - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -THE RUTH FIELDING SERIES - -BY ALICE B. EMERSON - -_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid._ - - -[Illustration] - -Ruth Fielding was an orphan and came to live with her miserly uncle. Her -adventures and travels make stories that will hold the interest of every -reader. - - RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL - _or Jasper Parloe's Secret_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL - _or Solving the Campus Mystery_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP - _or Lost in the Backwoods_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT - _or Nita, the Girl Castaway_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH - _or Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys_ - - RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND - _or The Old Hunter's Treasure Box_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM - _or What Became of the Raby Orphans_ - - RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES - _or The Missing Pearl Necklace_ - - RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES - _or Helping the Dormitory Fund_ - - RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE - _or Great Days in the Land of Cotton_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE - _or The Missing Examination Papers_ - - RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE - _or College Girls in the Land of Gold_ - - RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS (_New_) - _or Doing Her Bit for Uncle Sam_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT (_New_) - _or The Hunt for a Lost Soldier_ - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - - Transcriber's Notes: - - --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_); text in - bold by "equal" signs (=bold=). - - --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected, - except as noted below. - - --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - - --Inconsistencies in formatting and punctuation of individual - advertisements have been retained. - - --Variations in the name of the evil-faced man, Moriarity and Moriarty, - have been retained. - - --Page numbers in the Table of Contents for Chapters XXIX and XXX have - been changed to reflect the actual beginning page number in the text. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Baseball Joe in the World Series, by -Lester Chadwick - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES *** - -***** This file should be named 43455-8.txt or 43455-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/4/5/43455/ - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Baseball Joe in the World Series - Or, Pitching for the Championship - -Author: Lester Chadwick - -Release Date: August 12, 2013 [EBook #43455] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -[Illustration: HE WAS A GLORIOUS FIGURE OF YOUNG MANHOOD.] - - - - - Baseball Joe in - the World Series - - OR - - Pitching for the Championship - - _By_ LESTER CHADWICK - - AUTHOR OF - - "BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS," "BASEBALL - JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE," "THE RIVAL - PITCHERS," "THE EIGHT-OARED - VICTORS," ETC. - - - _ILLUSTRATED_ - - - NEW YORK - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - - - - -=BOOKS BY LESTER CHADWICK= - - -=THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES= - - =12mo. Cloth. Illustrated - Price per volume, 75 Cents, postpaid= - - BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS - BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE - BASEBALL JOE AT YALE - BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE - BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE - BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS - BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES - -(_Other Volumes in Preparation_) - - -=THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES= - - =12mo. Cloth. Illustrated - Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid= - - THE RIVAL PITCHERS - A QUARTERBACK'S PLUCK - BATTING TO WIN - THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN - THE EIGHT-OARED VICTORS - -(_Other Volumes in Preparation_) - - -CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, New York - - - Copyright, 1917, by - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - - -=Baseball Joe in the World Series= - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I AN INSOLENT INTRUDER 1 - II GLOWING HOPES 12 - III A POPULAR HERO 20 - IV THE SPOILS OF WAR 30 - V GETTING READY FOR THE FRAY 37 - VI JOE GIVES FAIR WARNING 45 - VII THE THOUSAND DOLLAR BANKBILL 52 - VIII RECKLESS DRIVING 61 - IX A BRUTAL ACT 69 - X THE OPENING GUN 77 - XI SNATCHED FROM THE FIRE 84 - XII THE TABLES TURNED 92 - XIII A GALLANT EFFORT 106 - XIV MORE HARD LUCK 113 - XV FLEMING TURNS UP AGAIN 121 - XVI A CAD'S PUNISHMENT 128 - XVII PLANNING FOR REVENGE 134 - XVIII THE PLOT 140 - XIX WEAVING THE WEB 147 - XX A STIRRING BATTLE 155 - XXI EVENING UP THE SCORE 163 - XXII A HOLE IN THE WEB 169 - XXIII TAKING THE LEAD 176 - XXIV PLOTTING MISCHIEF 187 - XXV A RANDOM CLUE 193 - XXVI A BLUFF THAT WORKED 200 - XXVII STEALING SIGNALS 212 - XXVIII A BLOW IN THE DARK 217 - XXIX QUICK WORK 223 - XXX A GLORIOUS VICTORY 232 - - - - -BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES - - - - -CHAPTER I - -AN INSOLENT INTRUDER - - -"Here he comes!" - -"Hurrah for Matson!" - -"Great game, old man." - -"You stood the Chicagos on their heads that time, Joe." - -"That home run of yours was a dandy." - -"What's the matter with Matson?" - -"_He's all right!_" - -A wild uproar greeted the appearance of Joe Matson, the famous pitcher -of the New York Giants, as he emerged from the clubhouse at the Polo -Grounds after the great game in which he had pitched the Giants to the -head of the National League and put them in line for the World Series -with the champions of the American League. - -It was no wonder that the crowd had gone crazy with excitement. All New -York shared the same madness. The race for the pennant had been one of -the closest ever known. In the last few weeks it had narrowed down to a -fight between the Giants and the Chicagos, and the two teams had come -down the stretch, nose to nose, fighting for every inch, each straining -every nerve to win. It had been a slap-dash, ding-dong finish, and the -Giants had won "by a hair." - -Joe Matson--affectionately known as "Baseball Joe"--had pitched the -deciding game, and to him above all others had gone the honors of the -victory. Not only had he twirled a superb game, but it had been his home -run in the ninth inning after two men were out that had brought the -pennant to New York. - -And just at this moment his name was on more tongues than that of any -other man in the United States. Telegraph wires had flashed the news of -his triumph to every city and village in the country, and the cables and -wireless had borne it to every American colony in the world. - -Joe's hand had been shaken and his back pounded by exulting enthusiasts -until he was lame and sore all over. It was with a feeling of relief -that he had gained the shelter of the clubhouse with its refreshing -shower and rubdown. Even here his mates had pawed and mauled him -in their delight at the glorious victory, until he had laughingly -threatened to thrash a few of them. And now, as, after getting into his -street clothes, he came out into the side street and viewed the crowd -that waited for him, he saw that he was in for a new ordeal. - -"Gee whiz!" he exclaimed to his friend and fellow player, Jim Barclay, -who accompanied him. "Will they never let up on me?" - -"It's one of the penalties of fame, old man," laughed Jim. "Don't make -out that you don't like it, you old hypocrite." - -"Of course I like it," admitted Joe with a grin. "All the same I don't -want to have this old wing of mine torn from its socket. I need it in my -business." - -"You bet you do," agreed Jim. "It's going to come in mighty handy for -the World Series. But we'll be out of this in a minute." - -He held up his hand to signal a passing taxicab, and the cab edged its -way to the curb. - -The crowd swept in upon the players and they had all they could do to -elbow their way through. They succeeded finally and slammed the door -shut, while the chauffeur threw in the clutch and the taxicab darted -off, pursued by the shouts and plaudits of the crowd. - -Joe sank back on the cushions with a sigh of relief. - -"The first free breath I've drawn since the game ended," he remarked. - -"It's been a wonderful day for you, Joe," said Jim, looking at his -chum with ungrudging admiration. "That game will stand out in baseball -history for years to come." - -"I'm mighty glad I won for my own sake," answered Joe; "but I'm -gladder still on account of the team. The boys backed me up in great -shape--except in that fifth inning--and I'd have felt fearfully sore if -I hadn't been able to deliver the goods. But those Chicagos certainly -made us fight to win." - -"They're a great team," admitted Jim; "and they put up a corking good -game. But it was our day to win." - -"Did you see McRae and Robson after the game?" he went on, referring to -the manager and the coach of the Giant team. "Whatever dignity they had, -they lost it then. They fairly hugged each other and did the tango in -front of the clubhouse." - -Joe grinned as the burly figures came before his mental vision. - -"They've been under a fearful strain for the last few weeks," he -commented; "and I guess they had to let themselves go in some fashion or -they'd have burst." - -"Do you realize what that home run of yours meant in money, to say -nothing of the glory?" jubilated Jim. - -"I haven't had time to do much figuring yet," smiled Joe. - -"It meant at least fifty thousand dollars for the team," pursued Jim. -"We'll get that much even if we lose the World Series, and a good -deal more if we win. And if the Series goes to six or seven games the -management will scoop in a big pot of money, too--anywhere from fifty to -a hundred thousand dollars." - -"That's good," replied Joe, a little absent-mindedly. - -"Good?" echoed Jim, sharply. "It's more than good--it's great, it's -glorious! Wake up, man, and stop your dreaming." - -Joe came to himself with a little start. - -"You're--you're right, Jim," he stammered somewhat confusedly. "To tell -the truth, I wasn't thinking just then of money." - -Jim gave him a quick glance, and a sudden look of amused comprehension -came into his eyes. Joe caught his glance and flushed. - -"What are you blushing about?" demanded Jim with a grin. - -"I wasn't blushing," defended Joe, stoutly. "It's mighty warm in this -cab." - -Jim laughed outright. - -"Tell that to the King of Denmark," he chuckled. "I'm on, old man. You -told me in the clubhouse that you were going to the Marlborough Hotel, -and I know just who it is that's stopping there." - -"My friend, Reggie Varley, is putting up there," countered Joe, feebly. - -"My friend Reggie Varley," mimicked Jim, "to say nothing of his charming -sister. Oh, I'm not blind, old fellow. I've seen for a long time how the -wind was blowing. Well," he continued, dropping his light tone for a -more earnest one, "go in and win, Joe. I hope you have all the luck in -the world." - -He reached over and slapped his friend cordially on the shoulder. Then -he signaled for the chauffeur to stop. - -"What are you getting out here for?" asked Joe. "We haven't got to your -street yet." - -"I know it," answered Jim, preparing to jump out. "I want to give you a -chance to think up what you're going to say to the lady fair," he added, -mischievously. - -He ducked the friendly thrust that Joe made toward him and went away -laughing, while the cab started on. - -Joe knew perfectly well what he intended to say when he should meet -Mabel Varley. He had wanted to say it for a long time, and had -determined that if his team won the pennant he would wait no longer. - -He had met her for the first time two years before under unusual -circumstances. At that time he was playing in the Central League, and -his team was training at Montville, North Carolina. He had saved Mabel -from being carried over a cliff by a runaway horse, and the acquaintance -thus formed had soon deepened into friendship. With Joe it had now -become a much stronger feeling, and he had dared to hope that this was -shared by Mabel. - -Reggie Varley, Mabel's brother, was a rather affected young man, who -ran chiefly to clothes and automobiles and had an accent that he -fondly supposed was English. Joe had met him at an earlier date than -that at which he had formed Mabel's acquaintance and under unpleasant -conditions. Reggie had lost sight of his valise in a railway station, -and had rashly accused Joe of taking it. He apologized later, however, -and the young men had become the best of friends, for Reggie, despite -some foolish little affectations, was at heart a thoroughly good fellow. - -The brother and sister had come to New York to see the deciding games -and were quartered at the Marlborough Hotel. Mabel had waved to Joe from -a box at the Polo Grounds that afternoon, and her presence had nerved -him to almost superhuman exertions. And he had won and won gloriously. - -Would his good luck continue? He was asking himself this question when -the taxicab drew up at the curb, and he saw that he was at the door of -the Marlborough. - -He jumped out and thrust his hand in his pocket to get the money for his -fare, but the chauffeur waved him back with a grin. - -"Nuthin' doin'," he said. "This ride is on me." - -"What do you mean?" inquired Joe in surprise. - -"Jest what I said," returned the chauffeur. "The fellow that won the -championship for the New Yorks can't pay me any money. It's enough -for me to have Baseball Joe ride in my cab. I can crow over the other -fellows that wasn't so lucky." - -"Nonsense," laughed Joe, as he took out a bankbill and tried to thrust -it on him. - -"No use, boss," the man persisted. "Your money's counterfeit with me." - -He started his car with a rush and a backward wave of his hand, and -Joe, warned by a cheer or two that came from people near by who had -recognized him, was forced to retreat into the hotel. - -He did not send up a card, as he was a frequent caller and felt sure -of his welcome. Besides, he was too impatient for any formalities. He -wanted to be in the presence of Mabel, and even the elevator seemed -slow, though it shot him with amazing speed to the fifth floor on which -the Varley suite was located. - -His heart was beating fast as he knocked at the parlor door, and it beat -still faster when a familiar voice bade him enter. - -He burst in with a rush that suddenly stopped short when he saw that -he was not the only visitor. A young man had stepped back quickly from -Mabel's side and it was evident that he had just withdrawn his hand from -hers. - -For a moment Joe's blood drummed in his ears and the demon of jealousy -took possession of him. He glared at the visitor, who stared back at him -with an air of insolence that to Joe at that moment was maddening. - -The stranger was dressed in a degree of fashion that bordered on -foppishness. He wore more jewelry than was dictated by good taste, even -going so far as to carry a tiny wrist watch. His eyes were pale, his -chin slightly retreating, and his face showed unmistakable marks of -dissipation. His air was arrogant and supercilious as he took Joe slowly -in from head to foot. - -Mabel rushed forward eagerly as Joe entered. - -"Oh, Joe!" she cried. "I'm so glad you've come! I never was so glad in -all my life." - -Before the joyous warmth of that greeting, Joe's jealousy receded. He -could not question her sincerity. All her soul was in her eyes. - -He took her hand tenderly in his and felt that it was trembling. Had she -been frightened? He turned her about so that he stood between her and -the visitor. - -"Tell me," he commanded in a low voice. "Has this man offended you?" - -"Yes, no, yes!" she whispered. "Oh, Joe, please don't say anything now! -Please, for my sake, Joe! It's all right now. I'll tell you about it -afterward. He's Reggie's friend. Don't make a scene, please, Joe!" - -Joe's muscles stiffened, and had it not been for Mabel's earnest -pleading, he would have thrown the other fellow out of the room. But -Mabel's name must not be mixed up in any brawl, and by a mighty effort -he restrained himself. - -The visitor during this brief colloquy had been moving about uneasily. -He evidently wished himself anywhere else than where he was. Then, as -the two turned toward him, he put on a mask of carelessness and drawled -lazily: - -"Won't you introduce me to--ah--your friend, Miss Varley?" - -Mabel, recalled to her duty as hostess, had no option but to comply. - -"This is Mr. Beckworth Fleming, Joe," she said. "Mr. Fleming, this is -Mr. Matson." - -The two men bowed coldly but neither extended a hand. - -"Mr. Fleming is a friend of Reggie's," Mabel explained to Joe. - -"And of yours also, I hope, Miss Varley," said Fleming with an -ingratiating smile. - -"I said a friend of Reggie's," returned Mabel, coldly. - -It was a direct cut, and Fleming felt it as he would have felt the lash -of a whip. He turned a dull red and was about to reply, when he caught -the menacing look in Joe's eyes and stopped. He muttered something about -a pressing engagement, took up his hat and cane, and with a pretence of -haughtiness that failed dismally of its effect, swaggered from the room. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -GLOWING HOPES - - -"And now!" exclaimed Joe, as soon as the door had closed on the -unwelcome visitor, "tell me, Mabel, what that fellow said or did, and -I'll hunt him up and thrash him within an inch of his life. I'll make -him wish he'd never been born." - -"Don't do anything like that, Joe," urged the girl. "He's probably had -his lesson, and it isn't likely I'll ever be troubled by him again. He's -just an acquaintance that Reggie picked up somewhere, and I've only -seen him once before to-day. He called at the hotel to see Reggie, and -when he found he wasn't in, he stayed to talk with me. He started in by -paying me a lot of compliments and then became familiar and impudent. He -seized my hand, and when I sought to pull it away from him he wouldn't -let me. I was getting thoroughly frightened and was going to call out -when your knock came at the door. Oh, Joe, I was so glad when I saw who -it was!" - -She was perilously near to tears, and her beautiful eyes were dewy as -they looked into his. Joe's heart beat madly. The words he had been -longing to say leaped to his lips, but he choked them back. He did not -want to catch her off her guard, to take advantage of her emotions and -of her shaken condition. Her acceptance of him at that moment might -be due in part to gratitude and relief. He wanted more than that--the -unconditional, unreserved surrender of her heart and life into his -keeping, based only on affection. - -So he held himself under control and recompensed himself for his -selfdenial by an inward promise to make things interesting for Mr. -Beckworth Fleming, if ever that cad's path and his should cross. - -"But come," said Mabel more brightly, as she sank into a chair and -motioned Joe to another, "let's talk about something pleasant." - -"About you then," smiled Joe, his eyes dwelling on her eloquently. - -"Not poor little me," she pouted in mock humility. "Who am I compared -with the great Joseph Matson about whom all the world is talking--the -man who won the championship for the Giants, the hero whose picture -to-morrow will hold the place of honor in every newspaper in the -country?" - -"You're chaffing me now," laughed Joe. - -"Not a bit," she said demurely, her dimples coming and going in a way -that drove him nearly distracted. "I really feel as though I ought to -salaam or kow-tow or whatever it is the Orientals do when they come -before the Emperor. But, oh, Joe," and here she dropped her bantering -manner and leaned forward earnestly, "you were simply magnificent this -afternoon. The way you kept your nerve and won that game was just -wonderful. I was so excited at times that I thought my heart would leap -out of my body. I was proud, oh, so proud that you were a friend of -mine!" - -Joe had heard many words of praise that day but none half so sweet as -these. - -"Will you let me tell you a secret?" he exclaimed, half rising from his -chair. "Do you want to know who really won that game?" - -"Why, you did," she returned in some surprise. "Of course the rest -of the team did, too, but if it hadn't been for your pitching and -batting----" - -"No," he interrupted, "it was _you_ who won the game." - -He had risen now and had come swiftly to her side. - -"Listen, Mabel," he said, and before the note in his voice she felt -her pulses leap. "You were in my mind from the start to the finish of -that game. I looked up at you every time I went into the box. This -little glove of yours"--he took it from his pocket with a hand that -trembled--"lay close to my heart all through the game. Mabel----" - -"Why, hello, Joe, old top!" came a voice from the door that had opened -without their hearing it. "What good wind blew you here? I'm no end glad -to see you, don't you know. Congratulations, old man, on winning that -game. You were simply rippin', don't you know." - -And Reggie Varley ambled in and shook Joe's hand warmly, blandly -unconscious of the lack of welcome from the two inmates of the room. - -"How are you, Reggie?" Joe managed to blurt out, wishing viciously that -at that moment his friend were at the very farthest corner of the world. - -It is possible that Mabel's feelings were most unsisterly, but she -concealed them and rallied more readily than Joe from the shock caused -by her brother's inopportune coming. - -"I was just telling Joe how proud we were of him," she smiled. "But -he's so modest that he refuses to take any credit for what he has done. -Insists that somebody else won the game." - -"Of course that's all bally nonsense, don't you know," declared Reggie, -looking puzzled. "The other fellows helped, of course, but Joe was the -king pin. Those Chicagos were out for blood and Joe was the only one who -could tame them." - -Joe listened moodily, and while he is recovering his composure it may -be well, for the sake of those who have not followed the career of the -famous young pitcher, to mention the previous books of this series in -which his exploits are recorded. - -His diamond history opened in the first volume of the series, entitled: -"Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars; Or, The Rivals of Riverside." Here he -had his first experience in pitching. In that restricted circle he soon -became widely known as one of the best of the amateur boxmen, but he had -to earn that position by overcoming many difficulties. - -In "Baseball Joe on the School Nine," we find the same qualities of -grit and determination shown in a different field. The situation here -was complicated by the efforts of the bully of the school, who did -everything in his power to frustrate Joe and bring him to disaster. - -A little later on, Joe went to Yale, and his triumphs in the great -university are told in the third volume of the series, entitled: -"Baseball Joe at Yale; Or, Pitching for the College Championship." - -As may be imagined, with such redoubtable rivals as Harvard and -Princeton, a very different class of baseball is required from that -which will "get by" in academies and preparatory schools. - -Joe got his chance to pitch against Princeton in an exciting game where -the Yale "Bulldog" "put one over" on the Princeton "Tiger." - -But in spite of his athletic prowess and general popularity, Joe was not -entirely happy at Yale. His mother had set her heart on Joe's studying -for the ministry. But Joe himself did not feel any special call in that -direction. While always a faithful student he was not a natural scholar, -and outdoor life had a strong appeal for him. His success in athletics -confirmed this natural bent, until at last he came to the conclusion -that he ought to adopt professional baseball as his vocation. - -His mother was, naturally, much disappointed, as she had had great -hopes of seeing her only son in the pulpit. Moreover, she had the vague -feeling that there was something almost disreputable in making baseball -a profession. But Joe at last convinced her that whatever might have -been true in the early days of the game did not apply now, when so -many high-class men were turning toward it, and she yielded, though -reluctantly. - -Joe's chance to break into the professional ranks was not long in -coming. That last great game with Princeton had been noted by Jimmie -Mack, manager of the Pittston team in the Central League. He made Joe an -offer which the latter accepted, and the story of his first experience -on the professional diamond is told in the fourth volume of the series -entitled: "Baseball Joe in the Central League; Or, Making Good as a -Professional Pitcher." - -But this was only the first step in his career. He was too ambitious -to be content with the Central League except as a stepping stone to -something higher. His delight can be imagined, therefore, when he -learned that he had been drafted into the St. Louis Club of the National -League. He was no longer a "busher" but the "real thing." He had to work -hard and had many stirring adventures. How he succeeded in helping his -team into the first division is told in the fifth volume of the series, -entitled: "Baseball Joe in the Big League; Or, A Young Pitcher's Hardest -Struggles." - -But these hard struggles were at the same time victorious ones and -attracted the attention of the baseball public, who are always on the -lookout for a new star. Among others, McRae, the famous manager of the -New York Giants, thought he saw in Joe a great chance to bolster up his -pitching staff. Joe could hardly believe his eyes when he learned that -he had been bought by New York. It brought a bigger reputation, a larger -salary and a capital chance to get into the World Series. He worked like -a Trojan all through the season, and, as we have already seen, came -through with flying colors, winning from the Chicagos the final game -that made the Giants the champions of the National League and put them -in line for the championship of the world. The details of the stirring -fight are told in the sixth volume of the series, entitled: "Baseball -Joe on the Giants; Or, Making Good as a Ball Twirler in the Metropolis." - -"I say, old top," remarked Reggie, breaking in on Joe's rather resentful -musings, "you're going to stay and have dinner with us to-night, you -know." - -Joe looked at Mabel for confirmation. - -"You certainly must, Joe," she said enthusiastically. "We won't take no -for an answer." - -As there was nothing else on earth that Joe wanted so much as to be with -Mabel, he did not require much urging. - -"And I'll tell you what we'll do," suggested Mabel. "In fact, it's the -only thing we can do. We'll have the dinner served right in here for -the three of us. If you should go down in the public dining-room of the -hotel to-night, Joe, you'd have a crowd around the table ten lines deep." - -"By Jove, you're right," chimed in Reggie. "They'd have to send out a -call for reserves. I'll go down and have a little talk with the head -waiter, and I'll have him send up a dinner fit for a king." - -"Fit for a queen," corrected Joe, as he glanced at Mabel. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -A POPULAR HERO - - -Reggie hurried away to order the meal that was to put the chef on his -mettle, leaving Mabel and Joe once more in possession of the room. - -Good-natured, blundering Reggie! Why had he not waited five minutes -longer before breaking in on that momentous conversation? - -To be sure they could have resumed it now, but Joe felt instinctively -that it was not the time. Cupid is sensitive as to time and place, and -the little blind god is only at his best when assured of leisure and -privacy. His motto is that "two is company" while three or more are -undeniably "a crowd." - -Reggie might be back at any moment, and then, too, the waiters would be -coming in to spread the table. So Joe, though sorely against his will, -was forced to wait till fate should be more kind. - -But he was in the presence of his divinity anyway and could feast his -eyes upon her as she chatted gaily, her color heightened by the scene -through which they had just passed. - -And Mabel was a very delightful object for the eyes to rest upon. Joe -himself, of course, was not a competent witness. If any one had asked -him to describe her, he would have answered that she was a combination -of Cleopatra and Madame Recamier and all the other famous beauties of -history. What the unbiased observer would have seen was a very charming -girl, sweet and womanly, with lustrous brown eyes, wavy hair whose -tendrils persisted in playing hide and seek about her ears, dimples that -came and went in a maddening fashion and a flower-like mouth, revealing -two rows of pearly teeth when she smiled, which was often. - -Even Reggie was moved to compliment her when he came in again after his -interview with the head waiter. - -"My word, Sis, but you're blooming to-night, don't you know," he -remarked, as he went across the room and put his hand caressingly on her -shoulder. "This little trip must be doing you good. You've got such a -splendid color, don't you know." - -"Just think of it! A compliment from a brother! Wonder of wonders!" she -laughed merrily. - -Perhaps if she had cared to, she might have enlightened the obtuse -Reggie as to the cause of the heightened color that enhanced her -loveliness. Joe, too, could have made a shrewd guess at it. - -But now the waiters came bustling in and they talked of indifferent -things until the table was spread. A sumptuous meal was brought in, and -the three sat down to as merry a little dinner party as there was that -night in the city of New York. - -"How honored we are, Reggie," exclaimed Mabel, "to have the great Mr. -Matson as our guest! There are hundreds of people who would give their -eyes for such a chance." - -She flashed a mocking glance at Joe who grew red, as she knew he would. -The little witch delighted in making him blush. It made his bronzed face -still more handsome, she thought. - -"You'd better make the most of it," Joe grinned in reply. "I may fall -down in the World Series and be batted out of the box. Then you'll be -pretending that you don't know me." - -"I'm not afraid of that," returned Mabel. "After the way you pitched -this afternoon, I'm sure there's nothing in the American League you need -to be afraid of." - -"That's loyal, anyway," laughed Joe. "Still you never can tell. It's -happened to me before and it may happen again. Then, too, you must -remember that it's a different proposition I'll be up against. - -"Take, for instance, the Chicagos to-day. I've pitched against them -before and I knew their weak points. I knew the fellows who can't hit a -high ball but are death on the low ones. I knew the ones who would try -to wait me out and those who would lash out at any ball that came within -reach. I knew the ones who would crowd the plate and those who would -inch in to meet the ball. The whole problem was to feed them what they -didn't want. - -"But it will be different when I come up against the American Leaguers. -It will be some time before I catch on to their weak points. And while -I'm learning, one of them may line out a three bagger or a home run that -will win the game." - -"You speak of their weak points as though they all had them," put in -Reggie. - -"They do," replied Joe, promptly. "All of them have some weakness, and -sooner or later you find it out. If there's any exception to that rule -at all, it's Ty Cobb of Detroit. If he has any weakness, no one knows -what it is. For the last seven years he's led the American League in -batting, base stealing and everything else worth while. All pitchers -look alike to him. He's a perfect terror to the twirlers." - -"Well, you won't have to worry about him, anyway," smiled Mabel. "It's -lucky that he's on the Detroits instead of the Bostons. For I suppose -it's the Bostons you'll have to face in the World Series." - -"I guess it will be," answered Joe. "Their season doesn't end until -Friday. They've had almost as tight a race in their league as we've -had in ours, for the Athletics have been close on their heels. But -the Bostons have to take only one game to clinch the flag while the -Athletics will have to win every game. So it's pretty nearly a sure -thing for the Red Sox." - -"Which team would you rather have to fight against?" asked Reggie. - -"Well, it's pretty near a toss-up," answered Joe, thoughtfully. "Either -one will be a hard nut to crack. That one hundred thousand dollar -infield of the Athletics is a stone wall, but I think the Boston -outfield is stronger. That manager of the Athletics is in a class by -himself, and what he doesn't know about the game isn't worth knowing. -He's liable to spring something on you at any time. Still the Boston -manager is mighty foxy, too, and you have to keep your eyes open to -circumvent him. Take it all in all, I'd just about as lief face one team -as the other." - -"It will be a little shorter trip for you between the two cities, if you -happen to have the Athletics for your opponents," suggested Mabel. - -"Yes," assented Joe. "In that case we'd have a good long sleep in -regular beds every night, while on the Boston trip we'd have to put up -with sleeping cars. Still the jumps wouldn't be big in either case, -and it's a mighty sight better than if we had to go out West for the -Chicagos or Detroits. - -"From a money point of view the boys are rooting for Boston to win," he -went on. - -"Why, what difference would that make?" asked Mabel in surprise. - -"Because the Boston grounds hold more people than the Athletics' park," -was the answer. - -"That's something new to me," put in Reggie. "I've attended games at -both grounds, and it didn't seem to me there was much difference between -them." - -"The answer is," replied Joe, "that we're not going to play at Fenway -Park, the regular American League grounds in Boston, in case Boston is -our opponent." - -"How is that?" - -"Because Braves Field, the National League grounds there, will hold over -forty-three thousand people, and the owners have put it at the disposal -of the American League Club," Joe answered. - -"That's a sportsmanlike thing to do," commented Mabel, warmly. - -"It certainly is," echoed her brother. - -"Oh, the days of the old cutthroat policy have gone by," said Joe. "The -National and American Leagues used to fight each other like a pair of -Kilkenny cats, but they've found that there is nothing in such a game. -This act of the Boston people shows the new spirit. We saw it, too, -when the grandstand was burned at the Polo Grounds. The ruins hadn't -got through smoking before the Yankee management offered the use of its -grounds to McRae as long as he needed them. And then a little later when -the Yankees lost their grounds because streets were going to be cut -through them, McRae returned the favor by giving them the use of the -Polo Grounds. It's the right spirit. Fight like tigers to win games, but -outside of that, let live and wish the other luck." - -"Tell me honestly, Joe, what you think the New York's chances are, in -case they have to stack up against Boston," said Reggie. - -"Well," answered Joe, thoughtfully, toying with his spoon, "if you'd -asked me that question a week ago, I'd have said that New York would win -in a walk. But just now I wouldn't be anywhere near so sure of that." - -"You mean the accident to Hughson?" put in Mabel. - -"Exactly that. He was going like a house afire just before that. You saw -what he did to Chicago in the first game. He had those fellows eating -out of his hand. He was simply unhittable. That fadeaway of his was -zipping along six inches under their bats. They didn't have a Chinaman's -chance. - -"Then, too, in addition to that splendid pitching his reputation helps -a lot. The minute it is announced that Hughson is going to pitch, the -other fellows begin to curl up. They're half whipped before they start, -because they feel that he has the Indian sign on them, and it's of no -use to try." - -"That's so," assented Reggie. "Besides, when he's in the box his own -team feel they're in for a victory and they play like demons behind him." - -"It's going to take away a lot of confidence from our boys," said Joe, -"and in a critical series like that, confidence is half the battle. We -could have lost two or three other men and yet have a better chance than -we will have with Hughson out of the game." - -"Isn't there any chance of his recovering in time to take part in some -of the games?" asked Mabel. - -"A bare chance only," Joe replied. "I saw the old boy yesterday, and -he's getting along surprisingly fast. You see, he always keeps himself -in such splendid physical condition that he recovers more quickly than -an ordinary man would. We've got over a week yet before the Series -starts, and he may possibly be able to go in before the games are over. -If he does, that will be an immense help. But McRae had figured on -having him pitch the first game, so as to get the jump on the other -fellows at the very start. Then he could have gone in at least twice -more, perhaps three times, and it would have been all over but the -shouting." - -"It's lucky that McRae has you at hand to step into Hughson's shoes," -declared Reggie. - -"Step into them!" exclaimed Joe. "Yes, and rattle around in them. Nobody -can fill them." - -"I don't believe a word of it," cried Mabel warmly--so warmly in fact -that her brother looked at her in some surprise. - -"Yes," she repeated, holding her ground valiantly, "I mean just what I -say. It's awfully generous of you, Joe, to praise Hughson to the skies, -but there's no use in underrating yourself. I don't think Hughson can -pitch one bit better than you can. Look at that game this afternoon. I -heard lots of people around me say that they never saw such pitching -in all their lives. And what you did to-day you can do again. So -there!"--she caught herself up, smiling a little confusedly, as though -she had betrayed herself, but finished defiantly--"if that be treason, -make the most of it." - -Joe's heart gave a great leap, not only at the tribute but at the tone -and look that had gone with it. So this was what Mabel thought of him! -This was how she believed in him! - -His head was whirling, but in his happy confusion one thought kept -pounding away at his consciousness, a thought that never left him -through all the tremendous test that lay before him: - -"I've _got_ to make good! I've _got_ to make good!" - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE SPOILS OF WAR - - -The rest of the evening flew by as though on wings, and Joe was startled -when he looked at his watch and found that it was nearly eleven o'clock. - -"I'll have to go," he said reluctantly. "I had no idea it was so late." - -"Why should you hurry?" asked Reggie. "The season's over now in the -National League, and the World Series won't begin for a week or more. I -should think you might have a little leeway in the matter of sitting up -late." - -"I'll have plenty of leeway before long," laughed Joe. "But just now I -want to keep in the very pink of condition. I'll need every ounce of -strength and vitality I've got before I get through the Series." - -He would have dearly loved a chance for a few words with Mabel in -private before he went away, but Reggie failed to appreciate that fact, -and he accompanied the pair even when they went out to the elevator. -But Joe avenged himself by holding Mabel's hand much longer and more -closely than he had ever dared do before, and the girl did not dream of -calling for help. - -But although Joe had been balked in saying what he had wanted to that -night, he felt much surer of Mabel's feelings toward him, and his heart -was a tumult of joyous emotions as he made his way home to the rooms he -shared with Jim. - -He found Barclay sound asleep, at which he rejoiced. He was in no mood -for chaff and banter. He wanted to go over in his mind every incident of -that memorable evening--to recall the tones of Mabel's voice, the look -in Mabel's eyes. It was a delightful occupation and took a good while, -so that it was late when he dropped off to sleep. - -He was awakened at a much later hour than usual the next morning by a -vigorous tugging at the shoulder of his pajamas; and, opening one sleepy -eye, saw Jim fully dressed standing at the side of his bed. - -"Go away and let me sleep," grumbled Joe, turning over on his pillow for -another forty winks. - -"For the love of Pete, man! how much sleep do you want?" snorted Jim. -"What are you trying to do, forget your sorrows? Here it is after nine -o'clock, and I've already had my breakfast and a shave. Get a wiggle on -and see what it is to be a popular hero." - -"Stop your joshing," muttered Joe, sleepily. - -"Josh nothing," Jim came back at him. "If you'll just open those liquid -orbs of yours and give this room the once over, you'll see whether I'm -joshing or not." - -This stirred Joe's curiosity and he sat up in bed with a jerk. - -"Great Scott!" he exclaimed, as he saw the room littered with a mass -of boxes and packages that covered every available spot on chairs and -tables and overflowed to the floor. "Where did you get all this junk? -Going to open a department store?" - -"I guess you'll be able to if they keep on coming," returned Jim. "I've -been signing receipts for express packages until I've got the writer's -cramp. And there's a pile of letters and telegrams, and there's a bunch -of reporters down in the lobby waiting for an interview with your Royal -Highness, and--but what's the use? Get up, you lazy hulk, and get busy." - -"It surely looks as though it were going to be my busy day," grinned -Joe, as he jumped out of bed and rushed to the shower. - -He shaved and dressed in a hurry and then ate a hasty breakfast, after -which he saw the reporters. - -Those clever and wideawake young men greeted him with enthusiasm and -overwhelmed him with questions that ranged from the date of his birth to -his opinion on the outcome of the World Series. They knew that their -papers would give them a free hand in the matter of space, and they were -in search not of paragraphs but of columns from the idol of the hour. - -"You look limp and wilted, Joe," laughed Jim, as they went back to their -rooms. - -"It's no wonder," growled Joe. "Those fellows got the whole sad story -of my life. They hunted out every fact and shook it as a terrier shakes -a rat. They turned me inside out. The only thing they forgot to ask was -when I got my first tooth and whether I'd ever had the measles. And, oh, -yes, they didn't find out what was my favorite breakfast food. But now -let's get busy on these parcels and see what's in them." - -"What's in them is plenty," prophesied Jim, "and these are only the few -drops before the shower." - -It was a varied collection of objects that they took from the packages. -There were boxes of cigars galore, enough to keep the chums in "smokes" -for a year to come. There were canes and silk shirts and neckties -accompanied by requests from dealers to be permitted to call their -product the "Matson." There were bottles of wine and whiskey, which met -with short welcome from these clean young athletes, who took them over -to the bathroom, cracked their necks and poured the contents down the -drain of the washbasin, until, as Jim declared, the place smelled for -all the world like a "booze parlor." - -"No merry mucilage for ours," declared Joe, grimly. "We've seen what it -did for Hartley, as clever a pitcher as ever twirled a ball." - -"Right you are," affirmed Jim. "There's none of us strong enough to down -old John Barleycorn, and the only way to be safe is never to touch it." - -After they had gone through the lot and rung for a porter to carry away -the litter of paper and boxes, they attacked the formidable pile of -letters and telegrams. - -Among the former were two offers from vaudeville managers, urging Joe -to go on the stage the coming winter. They offered him a guarantee of -five hundred dollars a week. They would prepare a monologue for him, -or, if he preferred to pair up with a partner, they would have a sketch -arranged for him. - -"That sounds awfully tempting, Joe," said Jim, as they looked up from -the letters they had been reading together. - -"It's a heap of money," agreed Joe, "and I do hate to pass it up. But -I won't accept. I'm not an actor and I know it and they know it. I'd -simply be capitalizing my popularity. I'd feel like a freak in a dime -museum." - -"How do you know you're not an actor?" asked Jim. "You might have it in -you. You never know till you try." - -But Joe shook his head. - -"No," he said, "there's no use kidding myself. And even if I could -make good, I wouldn't do it. You know what it did for Markwith the -season after he made his record of nineteen straight. He never was the -same pitcher after that. The late hours, the feverish atmosphere, the -irregular life don't do a ball player any good. They take all the vim -and sand out of him. No vaudeville for yours truly." - -"Well," said Jim, "you're the doctor. And I guess you're right. But it -certainly seems hard to let that good money get away when it's fairly -begging you to take it." - -The telegrams came from all over the country. A lot were from Joe's old -team-mates on the St. Louis club, including Rad Chase and Campbell. -Others were from newspaper publishers offering fancy prices if Joe would -write some articles for them, describing the games in the forthcoming -World Series. Joe knew perfectly well that this would entail no time -or labor on his part. Some bright reporter would actually write the -articles, and all Joe needed to do was to let his name be signed to them -as the author. But the practice was beginning to be frowned upon by -the baseball magnates, and it was in a certain sense a fraud upon the -public, so that Joe mentally decided in the negative. - -One telegram was far more precious to Joe than all the others put -together. It came from Clara, his only sister, to whom he was devotedly -attached, and was sent in the name of all the little family at -Riverside. Joe's eyes were a little moist as he read: - - "Dearest love from all of us, Joe. We are proud of you." - -For a long time Joe sat staring at the telegram, while Jim considerately -buried himself in the newspaper descriptions of yesterday's great game. - -How dear the home folks were! How their hearts were wrapped up in -him and his success! What a splendid, wholesome influence that cozy -little village home had been in his life. He thought of his patient, -hard-working father, his loving mother, his winsome sister. He thought -of their quiet, circumscribed life, shut out from the great currents of -the world with which he had become so familiar. - -They were proud of him! Yet all they could do was to read of his -triumphs. They had never seen him pitch. - -He took a sudden resolution. - -The home folks were in for one great, big, glorious fling! - - - - -CHAPTER V - -GETTING READY FOR THE FRAY - - -"Come along, Jim!" cried Joe, jumping to his feet. "Put down that old -paper and let's go up to the Polo Grounds. You know we've got to meet -McRae and the rest of the gang there at two o'clock, and it's almost one -now. We'll just have time to get a bite of lunch before we go." - -"I'm with you," responded Jim. - -They hurried through their lunch and took the train at the nearest -elevated station. - -"Some difference to-day from the way we felt when we were going -up yesterday, eh, Joe," grinned Jim, as he stretched out his legs -luxuriously and settled back in his seat. - -"About a million miles," assented Joe. "Then my heart was beating like a -triphammer. Then the work was all to do. Now it's done." - -"And well done, too, thanks to you," returned Jim. "Say, Joe, suppose -for a minute--just _suppose_ that the Chicagos had copped that game -yesterday." - -"Don't," protested Joe. "It gives me the cold shivers just to think of -it." - -When they entered the clubhouse, a roar of welcome greeted them from the -members of the team who were already there. They crowded round Baseball -Joe in jubilation, and the air was filled with a hubbub of exclamations. - -"Here's the man to whom the team owes fifty thousand dollars!" shouted -the irrepressible Larry Barrett, the second baseman, who had led the -league that year in batting. - -"All right," laughed Joe. "If you owe it to me, hand it over and I'll -put it in the bank." - -In the laugh that ensued, McRae and Robson, the inseparable manager and -trainer of the Giants, came hurrying up to Joe. Their faces were beaming -and they looked years younger, now that the tremendous strain of the -last few weeks of the league race had been taken from their shoulders. - -They shook hands warmly. - -"You're the real thing, Joe," cried Robson. - -"You won the flag for us," declared McRae. "That home run of yours was a -life saver. It brought home the bacon." - -Joe flushed with pleasure. Praise from these veterans meant something. - -"It took the whole nine to win for us," he said modestly. - -"Sure it did," agreed McRae. "The boys put up a corking good game. But -your pitching held Brennan's men down, and it was that scorching hit -that put on the finishing touch." - -"It was the trump that took the trick," supplemented Robson. - -Denton, the third baseman and wag of the team, stepped up and gravely -put his hands around Joe's head as though measuring it. - -"Not swelled a bit, boys," he announced to his grinning mates. "He can -wear the same size hat that he did yesterday." - -They were all so full of hilarity that it was hard to get down to -serious business, and McRae, who was as happy as a boy, made no attempt -at his usual rigid discipline. - -But when they had at last quieted down a little, he gathered them about -him for a talk about the forthcoming World Series. - -"You've done well, boys," he told them, "and I'm proud of you. You've -played the game to the limit and made a splendid fight. I don't believe -there's another team in the league that wouldn't have gone to pieces -if the same thing had happened to their crack pitcher that happened -to Hughson. It was a knockout blow, and I don't mind admitting to you -now that for a time my own heart was in my boots. But you stood the -gaff, and I want to thank you, both for the owners of the club and for -myself." - -There was a gratified murmur among the players, and then Larry shouted: - -"Three cheers for McRae, the best manager in the league!" - -The cheers were given with a will and the veteran's face grew red with -pleasure. - -"And three more for Robson, the king of trainers!" cried Jim. - -They were given with equal heartiness, and Robson waved his hand to them -with a grin. - -"I'm glad we all feel that way," resumed McRae, when the tumult had -subsided. "If at times I've been a bit hasty with you lads and given you -the rough side of my tongue, it's been simply because I was wild with -excitement and crazy to win. And now for the big fight that lies before -us. It's a great thing to be champions of the National League. But it's -a greater thing to be champions of the world." - -A rousing shout rose from the eager group. - -"Sure, we've got it copped already," cried Larry. - -McRae smiled. - -"That's the right spirit to tackle the job with," he replied, "but don't -let the idea run away with you that it's going to be an easy thing to -do. It isn't. Those American Leaguers are tough birds, and any one who -beats them will know he's been in a fight. - -"There used to be a time," he went on, "when the bulk of the talent was -in the National League. But it isn't so any longer. They have just as -good batting, just as good pitching and just as good fielding as we have. - -"Of course, we don't know yet just which team we'll have to face, but we -may know before night. If the Bostons win to-day that will settle it. -Even if they lose, provided the Athletics lose, too, the Red Sox will be -the champions. Of course, there's nothing sure in baseball, but all the -chances are in favor of the Bostons. - -"In any case, it will be an Eastern club, and that cuts out the matter -of the long jumps. But whichever one it happens to be, it'll prove a -hard nut to crack." - -"Nut-crackers is our middle name," murmured Denton. - -"You proved that yesterday," laughed McRae, "and you're going to have a -good chance to prove it again. - -"Just as soon as the American race is decided," he continued, "and it's -known in what city we are to play, the National Commission will have -a meeting to fix all the details of the World Series. If they follow -precedent, as they probably will, the first game will be appointed for -a week from this Friday. They'll toss a coin to see whether it shall be -here or in the other city. I'm rooting for it to be here. It'll give us -a better chance to win the first game if we play it on the home grounds, -and you know what it means to get the jump on the other fellows." - -"You bet we do!" went up in a chorus. - -"Just as soon as it is decided who our opponents are to be," the manager -resumed, "I'm going to send some of you fellows out as scouts to see -some of the practice games of the other fellows and get a line on their -style of play. You can pick up a lot of useful information that way, and -we've got so much at stake that we can't afford to overlook a single -point of the game." - -"How about our own practice?" asked Larry. - -"I was coming to that," replied McRae. "I'm going to get together -just as husky a bunch of sluggers and fielders as can be found in the -National League." - -He took a sheaf of telegrams from his pocket. - -"I've got a lot of wires here from every club in the league, offering -the services of any of their players I want," he said. "We've had our -own fight, and now that it's over they're all eager to help the National -League to down the American. It means a good deal to each of them to -have us come out winner. Even Brennan has offered to let me have some -of the Chicagos to practise against. I saw him at the hotel last night, -and, although of course he was sore that he didn't win yesterday, he -told me I could call upon him for any men I wanted." - -"He's a good sport," ejaculated Jim. - -"Sure he is," confirmed McRae, heartily. "He's a hard fighter but he's -as white as they make 'em." - -He consulted a list on which he had jotted down a few names in pencil. - -"How will this do for an All National team to practise against," he -asked. - - "Konetchky, First base. - Niehoff, Second base. - Wagner, Shortstop. - Zimmermann, Third base. - Wheat, Left field. - Carey, Center field. - Schulte, Right field. - Pfeffer, Alexander, Pitchers. - Archer, Gibson, Catchers." - -A murmur went up from the players. - -"Some sweet hitters!" exclaimed Markwith. - -"A bunch of fence breakers," echoed Jim. - -"They'll give you mighty good practice," grinned McRae. "If they can't -straighten out the curves of you twirlers, nobody can. I'll have them -all on here in a day or two, and then we'll start in training." - -The conference lasted till late in the afternoon, and just as it was -breaking up, a telegraphic report was handed to McRae. He scanned it -hastily. - -"That settles it!" he exclaimed. "Boston won to-day, three to two. We're -up against the Red Sox in the World Series!" - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -JOE GIVES FAIR WARNING - - -Although the news only confirmed what had been all along expected, it -was worth a great deal to the Giants to know certainly just whom they -would have to fight. Their enemy now was detached from the crowd and out -in the open. They could study him carefully and arrange a clear plan of -campaign. - -Joe and Jim were discussing the matter earnestly, as they passed out of -the Polo Grounds to go downtown. - -"Don't let's take the elevated," suggested Joe. "We haven't had much -exercise, and I want to stretch my legs a little." - -"I'm agreeable," replied Jim. "There's a cool breeze and it's a nice -night for walking. We can go part of the way on foot, anyway, and if we -feel like it we'll hoof it for the whole distance." - -They soon got below the Harlem River and before long found themselves -in the vicinity of Columbus Circle. They were passing one of the -fashionable cafes that abound in that quarter when the door opened and -a man came out. Joe caught a good look at his face, and a grim look came -into his eyes as he recognized Beckworth Fleming. - -Fleming saw him at the same time, and the eyes of the two men met in a -look of undisguised hostility. Then with an ugly sneer, Fleming remarked: - -"Ah, Mr. Matson, I believe. Or was it Mr. Buttinski? I'm not very good -at remembering names." - -"You'll remember mine if I have to write it on you with my knuckles," -returned Joe, brought to a white heat by the insult and the remembrance -of the occurrence of the day before. - -"Now, my good fellow----" began Fleming, a look of alarm replacing his -insolent expression. - -"Don't 'good fellow' me," replied Joe. "I owe you a thrashing and I'm -perfectly able to pay my debts. You'd have gotten it yesterday if we'd -been alone." - -"I--I don't understand you," stammered Fleming, looking about him for -some way of escape from the sinewy figure that confronted him. - -"Well, I'm going to make myself so clear that even your limited -intelligence can understand me," said Joe, grimly. "You keep away from -the Marlborough Hotel. Is that perfectly plain?" - -Before the glow in Joe's eyes, Fleming retreated a pace or two, but as -he caught sight of a policeman sauntering up toward them, his courage -revived. - -"I'll do nothing of the kind," he snarled. - -"You will if you value that precious skin of yours. I've given you fair -warning, and you'll find that I keep my word." - -By this time the officer had come up close to them, and Fleming, -immensely relieved, turned to him as an ally. - -"Officer, this man has been threatening me with personal violence," he -complained. - -The policeman sized him up quizzically. Then he looked at Joe and his -face lighted up. - -"Good evening, Mr. Matson. That was a great game you pitched yesterday," -he ejaculated in warm admiration. - -"I tell you he threatened me," repeated Fleming, loudly. - -The officer smiled inquiringly at Joe. - -"Just a trifling personal matter," Joe explained quietly. "He insulted -me and I called him down." - -The policeman turned to Fleming. - -"Beat it," he commanded briefly. "You're blocking up the sidewalk." - -Fleming bristled up like a turkey cock. - -"I'll have your number," he said importantly. "I'll----" - -"G'wan," broke in the officer, "or I'll fan you. Don't make me tell you -twice." - -He emphasized the command by a poke in the back with his club that took -away the last shred of Fleming's dignity, and he retreated, with one -last malignant look at Joe. - -"I know his kind," said the officer, complacently. "One of them rich -papa's boys with more money than brains. Sorry he bothered you, Mr. -Matson. Are youse boys goin' to lick them Bostons?" - -"We're going to make a try at it," laughed Joe. - -"You will if you can pitch all the games," rejoined the policeman, -admiringly. "It cert'nly was a sin an' a shame the way you trimmed them -Chicagos. You own New York to-day, Mr. Matson." - -The chums bade him a laughing good-night and resumed their interrupted -stroll. - -"Who was that fellow, anyway?" asked Jim in curiosity. - -"His name is Fleming," answered Joe. "That's about all I know of him." - -"How long have you known him?" - -"Since yesterday." - -"What was the row all about, anyway?" - -"Oh, nothing much," evaded Joe. "I guess we just don't like the color of -each other's eyes." - -Jim laughed and did not press the question. But he had heard the warning -to keep away from the Marlborough Hotel, and could hazard a vague guess -as to the cause of the quarrel. - -At their hotel both Joe and Jim found a letter from the owners of the -New York Club waiting for them. In addition to the informal thanks -conveyed to the team in general by McRae, they had taken this means of -thanking each player personally. It was a gracious and earnest letter, -and wound up by inviting them to a big banquet and theatre party that -was to be given by the management to the players in celebration of their -great feat in winning the National League championship for New York. - -But Joe's letter also contained a little slip from the Treasurer, to -which a crisp, blue, oblong paper was attached. Joe unfolded it in some -wonderment and ran his eyes over it hastily. - -It was a check for a thousand dollars, and on the accompanying slip was -written: - - "In payment of bonus as per contract for winning twenty - games during the season." - -Joe grabbed Jim and waltzed him about the room, much to Barclay's -bewilderment. - -"What are you trying to do?" he gasped. "Is it a new tango step or what?" - -"Glory, hallelujah!" ejaculated Joe. "Yesterday and to-day are sure my -lucky days." - -He thrust the check before his friend's eyes. - -"Great Scott!" exclaimed Jim. "It never rains but it pours. If you fell -overboard, you'd come up with a fish in your mouth." - -"It sure is like finding money," chortled Joe. "Everything seems to be -coming my way." - -"You'll be lending money to Rockefeller if this sort of thing keeps on," -Jim grinned. "But after all it can't be such a surprise. You must have -known that you had won twenty games." - -"That's just it," explained Joe. "I wasn't sure of it at all. I figured -that with yesterday's game I had nineteen. But there was that game in -August, you remember, when I relieved Markwith in the sixth inning. -We won the game, but there were some fine points in it which made it -doubtful whether it should be credited to Markwith or me. I had a tip -that the official scorers were inclined to give it to Markwith, and so I -had kissed the game good-bye. But it must be that they've decided in my -favor after all and notified the New York Club to that effect." - -"That's bully, old man," cried Jim, enthusiastically. "And you can't say -that they've lost any time in getting it to you." - -"No," replied Joe. "Ordinarily, they'd settle with me on the regular -salary day. But I suppose they feel so good over getting the pennant -that they take this means of showing it." - -"They can well afford to do it," said Jim. "Your pitching has brought -it into the box office twenty times over. Still it's nice and white -of them just the same to be so prompt. That's one thing that you have -to hand to the Giant management. There isn't a club in the league that -treats its players better." - -"You're just right," assented Joe, warmly, "and it makes me feel as -though I'd pitch my head off to win, not only for my own sake but for -theirs." - -"You certainly have had a dandy year," mused Jim. "With your regular -salary of forty-five hundred and this check in addition you've grabbed -fifty-five hundred so far. And you'll get anywhere from two to four -thousand more in the World Series." - -"I haven't any kick coming," agreed Joe. "It was a lucky day for me when -I joined the Giants." - -"I suppose you'll soak that away in the bank to-morrow, you bloated -plutocrat," laughed Jim. - -"Not a bit of it," Joe answered promptly. "To-morrow night that money -will be on its way to Riverside as fast as the train can carry it." - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE THOUSAND DOLLAR BANKBILL - - -The little town of Riverside had been buzzing with excitement ever -since the news had flashed over the wires that the Giants had won the -championship of the National League. On a miniature scale, it was as -much stirred up as New York itself had been at the glorious victory. - -For was not Joe Matson, who had twirled that last thrilling game, a son -of Riverside? Had he not grown up among the friends and neighbors who -took such pride and interest in his career? Had he not, as Sol Cramer, -the village oracle and the owner of the hotel, declared, "put Riverside -on the map?" - -There had been a big crowd at the telegraph office in the little town on -the day that the final game had been played, and cheer after cheer had -gone up as each inning showed that Joe was holding the Chicagos down. -And when in that fateful ninth his home run had "sewed up" the victory, -the enthusiasm had broken all bounds. - -An impromptu procession had been formed, the village band had been -pressed into service, the stores had been cleared out of all the -fireworks left over after the Fourth of July, and practically the whole -population of the town had gathered on the street in front of the Matson -house where they held a hilarious celebration. - -The quiet little family found itself suddenly in the limelight, and were -almost as much embarrassed as they were delighted by the glory that -Joe's achievement had brought to them. - -The crowd dispersed at a late hour, promising that this was not a -circumstance to what would happen when Joe himself should come home -after the end of the World Series. - -Had any one suggested that possibly the Giants would lose out in that -Series, he would have stood a good chance of being mobbed. To that crowd -of shouting enthusiasts, the games were already stowed in the New York -bat bag. How could they lose when Joe Matson was on their team? - -In the Matson household joy reigned supreme. Joe had always been their -pride and idol. He had been a good son and brother, and his weekly -letters home had kept them in touch with every step of his career. They -had followed with breathless interest his upward march in his profession -during this year with the Giants, but had hardly dared to hope that his -season would wind up in such a blaze of glory. - -Now they were happy beyond all words. They fairly devoured the papers -that for the next day or two were full of Joe's exploits. They could not -stir out of the house without being overwhelmed with congratulations -and questions. Clara, Joe's sister, a pretty, winsome girl, declared -laughingly that there could hardly have been more fuss made if Joe had -been elected President of the United States. - -"I'm sure he'd make a very good one if he had," said Mrs. Matson, -complacently, as she bit off a thread of her sewing. - -"You dear, conceited Momsey," said Clara, kissing her. - -Mr. Matson smiled over his pipe. He was a quiet, undemonstrative man, -but in his heart he was intensely proud of this stalwart son of his. - -"How I wish we could have seen that game!" remarked Clara, wistfully. -"Just think, Momsey, of sitting in a box at the Polo Grounds and seeing -that enormous crowd go crazy over Joe, _our_ Joe." - -"I'm afraid my heart would almost break with pride and happiness," -replied her mother, taking off her glasses and wiping her eyes. - -"Of course it's great, reading all about it in the papers and seeing the -pictures," continued Clara, "but that isn't like actually being there -and hearing the shouts and all that. But I'm a very wicked girl to -want anything more than I've got," she went on brightly. "Now I'm going -to run down to the post-office. The mail must be in by this time and I -shouldn't wonder if I'd find a letter from Joe." - -She put on her hat and left the house. Mrs. Matson looked inquiringly at -her husband. - -"You heard what Clara said, dear," she observed. "I don't suppose -there's any way in the world we could manage it, is there?" - -"I'm afraid not," returned Mr. Matson. "I've had to spend more money -than I expected in perfecting that invention of mine. But there's -nothing in the world that I would like more than to see Joe pitch, if it -were only a single game." - -Clara soon reached the little post-office and asked for the Matson mail. -There were several letters in their box, but none from Joe. - -She was much disappointed, as in Joe's last telegram he had told her -that a letter was on the way and to look out for it. - -She had turned away and was going out of the office, when the postmaster -called her back. - -"Just wait a minute," he said. "I see I've got something for you here in -the registered mail." - -He handed her a letter which Clara joyfully saw was addressed in Joe's -handwriting. - -"It's directed to your mother," the postmaster went on, "but of course -it will be all right if you sign for it." - -Clara eagerly signed the official receipt and hurried home with her -precious letter. - -"Did you get one from Joe?" asked her mother, eagerly. - -"There wasn't anything from him in the box," said Clara, trying to look -glum. Then as she saw her mother's face fall, she added gaily: "But -here's one that the postmaster handed me. It came in the registered -mail." - -She handed it over to her mother, who took it eagerly. - -"Hurry up and open it, Momsey!" cried Clara, fairly dancing with -eagerness. "I'm just dying to know what Joe has to say." - -Mr. Matson laid aside his pipe and came over to his wife. She tore open -the letter with fingers that trembled. - -Something crisp and yellow fluttered out and fell on the table. Clara's -nimble fingers swooped down upon it. - -"Why, it's a bankbill!" she exclaimed as she unfolded it. "A ten dollar -bill it looks like. No," as her eyes grew larger, "it's more than that. -It's a hundred--Why, why," she stammered, "it's _a thousand dollar -bill_!" - -[Illustration: "WHY, WHY," SHE STAMMERED, "IT'S A THOUSAND DOLLAR BILL!"] - -"Goodness sakes!" exclaimed her mother. "It can't be. There aren't any -bills as big as that." - -Mr. Matson took it and scrutinized it closely. - -"That's what it is," he pronounced in a voice that trembled a little. -"It's a thousand dollar bill." - -The members of the little family stared at each other. None of them had -ever seen a bill like that before. They could hardly believe their eyes. -They thought that they were dreaming. - -Mrs. Matson began to cry. - -"That blessed, blessed boy!" she sobbed. "That blessed, darling boy!" - -Clara's eyes, too, were full of tears, and Mr. Matson blew his nose with -astonishing vigor. - -But they were happy tears that did not scald or sting, and in a few -minutes they had recovered their equanimity to some degree. - -"What on earth can it all mean?" asked Mrs. Matson, as she put on her -glasses again. - -"Let's read the letter and find out," urged Clara. - -"You read it, Clara," said her mother. "I'm such a big baby to-day that -I couldn't get through with it." - -Clara obeyed. - -The letter was not very long, for Joe had had to dash it off hurriedly, -but they read a good deal more between the lines than was written. - - "Dearest Momsey," the communication ran, "I am writing this - letter in a rush, as I'm fearfully busy just now, getting - ready for the World Series. Of course, you've read by this time - all about the last game that won us the pennant. I had good - luck and the boys supported me well so that I pulled through - all right. - - "Now don't think, Momsey, when you see the enclosed bill - that I've been cracking a bank or making counterfeit money. - I send the money in a single bill so that it won't make the - registered letter too bulky. Dad can get it changed into small - bills at the bank. - - "You remember the clause in my contract by which I was to - get a thousand dollars extra if I won twenty games during the - season? Well, that last game just made the twentieth, and the - club handed the money over in a hurry. And in just as much of a - hurry I'm handing it over to the dearest mother any fellow ever - had. - - "Now, Momsey, I want you and Dad and Clara to shut up the - house, jump into some good clothes and hustle on here to New - York just as fast as steam will bring you. You're going to see - the World Series, take in the sights of New York and Boston, - and have the time of your life. You're going to have one big - _ga-lorious spree_! - - "Now notice what I've said, Momsey--_spree_. Don't begin - to figure on how little money you can do it with. You've been - trying to save money all your life. This one time I want you - to _spend_ it. Doll yourself up without thinking of expense, - and see that that pretty sister of mine has the best clothes - that money can buy. Don't put up lunches to eat on the way. - Live on the fat of the land in the dining cars. Don't come in - day coaches, but get lower berths in the Pullmans. Make the - Queen of Sheba look like thirty cents. I want you, Momsey dear, - to have an experience that you can look back upon for all your - life. - - "I've engaged a suite of rooms for you in the Marlborough - Hotel--a living room, two bedrooms and a private bath. Reggie - Varley and Mabel are stopping there now, and they'll be - delighted to see you. They often speak of the good times they - had with you when they were at Riverside. And you know how fond - Clara and Mabel are of each other. - - "Tell Sis that Jim Barclay, my chum, has seen her picture and - is crazy to meet her. He's a Princeton man, a splendid fellow, - and I wouldn't mind a bit having him for a brother-in-law." - -"The idea!" exclaimed Clara, tossing her pretty head and blushing like a -rose, but looking not a bit displeased, nevertheless. - - "Now don't lose a minute, Momsey, for the time is short and - the Series begins next week. You'll have to do some tall - hustling. Wire me what train you'll take, and I'll be there - with bells on to meet you and take you to the hotel. - - "Am feeling fine. Best love to Dad and Sis and lots for - yourself from - - "Your loving son, - - "JOE." - -There was silence in the room for a moment after Clara finished reading. -They looked at each other with hearts beating fast and eyes shining. - -"New York, Boston, the World Series!" Clara gasped in delight. "Pinch -me, Dad, to see if I'm dreaming! Oh, Momsey!" she exclaimed as she -danced around the room, "Joe put it just right. It's going to be a -'_ga-lorious spree_!'" - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -RECKLESS DRIVING - - -In New York, the preparation for the World Series was rapidly taking -form. Little else was thought or spoken of. Pictures of the teams and -players usurped the front pages of the newspapers, crowding all other -news into the background. For the time being the ballplayer was king. - -It was generally agreed by the experts that the contest would be close. -Neither side could look for a walkover. The fight would be for blood -from the very start. - -On paper the teams seemed pretty evenly matched. If the Red Sox were -a little quicker in fielding, the Giants seemed to have "the edge" on -their opponents in batting. It was felt that the final decision would be -made in the pitcher's box. - -And here the "dope" favored the Red Sox. This was due chiefly to the -accident that had befallen Hughson. Had that splendid veteran been -in his usual shape, it was conceded that New York ought to win and -win handsomely. For Boston could not show a pair to equal Hughson and -Matson, although the general excellence of their staff was very high. - -But with Hughson out of the Series, it looked as though Joe's shoulders -would have to bear the major part of the pitching burden; and though -those shoulders were sturdy, no one man could carry so heavy a load as -that would be. - -Thus the problem of New York's success seemed to resolve itself into -this: Would Hughson have so far recovered as to take part in the games? -And behind this was still another question: Even if he should take part, -would he be up to his usual form after the severe ordeal through which -he had passed? - -So great was the anxiety on this score that almost every new edition -of the afternoon papers made a point of publishing the very latest -news of the great pitcher's condition. Most of these were reassuring, -for Hughson really was making remarkable progress, and it goes without -saying that, regardless of cost, he was receiving the very best -attention from the most skilful specialists that could be secured. - -In the meantime the National Commission--the supreme court in -baseball--had met in conclave at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. -They really had little to do, except to reaffirm the rules which had -governed previous Series and had been found to work well in practice. - -The Series was to consist of seven games, to be played alternately on -succeeding days in the two cities. The place where the games were to -start would be decided by the toss of a coin. If rain interfered with -any of the games, the game was to be played in the same city on the -first fair day. - -The Series was to finish when either of the teams had won four games. -Only in the first four games played were the players to share in the -money paid to see them. This provision was made so that there should be -no temptation for the players to "spin out" the Series in order to share -additional receipts. It was up to each team to win four straight games -if it could. - -Of the money taken in at these first four games, ten per cent. was to go -to the National Commission and ten per cent. into the clubs' treasuries. -The balance was to be divided between the two teams in the proportion of -sixty per cent. to the winner and forty per cent. to the loser. - -The players had no financial interest whatever in any money taken in at -other games, which went to the clubs themselves, less the percentage of -the National Commission. - -"Hurrah!" cried Jim Barclay in delight, as he broke into the rooms -occupied by Joe and himself. - -"What's the matter?" asked Joe, looking up. "Dropped into a fortune? Got -money from home?" - -"We've won the toss of the coin!" ejaculated Jim. "New York gets the -first game." - -"Bully!" cried Joe. "That's all to the good. That's the first break in -the game and it's come our way. Let's hope that luck will stay with us -all through." - -"And just as we supposed, the first game will start on Friday," -continued Jim. "So that we'll have about a week for practice before we -have to buckle to the real work." - -"McRae told me this morning that he had almost all the practice team -together now, and that we'd start to playing against them on Monday," -said Joe. - -"It's up to us to make the most of this little breathing spell, then," -returned Jim. "I think I'll take a little run down to the beach -to-morrow. Care to come along?" - -"I've got an engagement myself to-morrow," Joe replied. "I'm going for -an automobile ride with Reggie Varley and Miss Varley. By the way, Jim, -why don't you come along with us? Reggie told me to bring along a friend -if I cared to. There's plenty of room, and he has a dandy auto. Flies -like a bird. Come along." - -"Where are you going?" - -"Out on Long Island somewhere. Probably stop at Long Beach for dinner." - -"Sure, I'll come," said Jim readily. "But don't think I'm not on to your -curves, you old rascal. You want me to engage Reggie in conversation so -that you can have Miss Varley all to yourself." - -"Nonsense!" disclaimed Joe, flushing a trifle. - -"Well, then," said the astute Jim, "I'll let you have the front seat -with Reggie, while I sit back in the tonneau." - -"Not on your life you won't!" said Joe, driven out into the open. - -"All right," grinned Jim resignedly. "I'll be the goat. When do we -start?" - -"Reggie will have the car up in front of the Marlborough at about ten, -he said. We'll have a good early start and make a day of it." - -"All right," said Jim. "Let's root for good weather." - -They could not have hoped for a finer day than that which greeted them -on the following morning. The sun shone brightly, but there was just -enough fall crispness to make the air fresh and delicious. - -Reggie was on time, nor did Mabel avail herself of the privilege of her -sex and keep them waiting. The girl looked bewitching in her new fall -costume and the latest thing in auto toggery, and her rosy cheeks and -sparkling eyes drew Joe more deeply than ever into the toils. Jim's -mischievous glance at them as they settled back in the tonneau while he -took his seat beside Reggie, left no doubt in his own mind how matters -stood between them. - -Whatever else Reggie lacked, he was a master hand at the wheel, and he -wound his way in and out of the thronging traffic with the eye and hand -of an expert. They soon reached and crossed the Queensboro Bridge, and -then Reggie put on increased speed and the swift machine darted like a -swallow along one of the magnificent roads in which the island abounds. -Beautiful Long Island lay before them, dotted with charming homes and -rich estates, fertile beyond description, swept by ocean breezes, -redolent of the balsam of the pines, "fair as a garden of the Lord." - -Jim, like the good fellow and true friend that he was, absorbed Reggie's -attention--that is, as much of it as could be taken from the road that -unrolled like a ribbon beneath the flying car--and Joe and Mabel were -almost as much alone as though they had had the car to themselves. And -it was very evident that neither was bored with the other's society. -Joe's hand may have brushed against Mabel's occasionally, but that was -doubtless due to the swaying of the car. At any rate, Mabel did not seem -to mind. - -At the rate at which they were going, it was only a little while before -they heard the sound of the breakers, and the great hotel at Long Beach -loomed up before them. - -Reggie put up his car and they spent a glorious hour on the beach, -watching the white-capped waves as they rushed in like race horses with -crested manes and thundered on the sands. Then they had a choice and -carefully selected dinner served in full view of the sea. - -"Some hotel, this," remarked Reggie as he gazed about him. "Make a dent -in a man's pocketbook to live here right along." - -"Yes," agreed Jim. "They give you the best there is, but you have to pay -the price. Reminds me of a story that used to be told of a famous hotel -in Washington. The proprietor was known among statesmen all over the -country for the way he served beefsteak smothered in onions. One man who -had tried the dish advised his friend to do the same the next time he -went to Washington." - -"But onions!" exclaimed his friend with a shudder. "Think of one's -breath." - -"Oh, that's all right," replied the other. "When you get the bill it -will take your breath away." - -Reggie laughed, and, as the afternoon was getting on, ordered the car to -be brought around. They had thought to go out along the south shore as -far as Patchogue, before turning about for home. - -They were bowling along on the Merrick Road in the vicinity of Bay -Shore, when an automobile behind them came rushing past at a reckless -rate of speed. It almost grazed Reggie's car, and the quick turn he was -obliged to make came within an ace of sending the car into a ditch. - -"My word!" cried the indignant Reggie. "Those bally beggars ought to be -pinched. A little more and they'd have smashed us." - -"Half drunk, most likely," commented Jim. "They'll kill somebody yet if -they keep that up. By Jove, I believe they've done it now!" - -From up the road came a chorus of yells and shouts. They saw the flying -automobile hesitate for a moment and then plunge on, leaving a limp and -motionless form sprawled out in the road behind it. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -A BRUTAL ACT - - -There was a shout from the men and a scream of terror from Mabel. - -"Oh, hurry, hurry!" she urged. "Perhaps they've killed him!" - -Reggie needed no urging, and in a moment more they had come within a few -feet of the figure that still lay without motion or any sign of life. - -Joe and Jim were out of the car like a flash and ran to the side of the -victim. - -Reggie turned the car into a piece of open woodland at the side of the -road, and then he and Mabel descended and joined the others. - -The man who had been hit seemed to be nearly seventy years old. His hair -was silvery white, except where it was dabbled with blood that flowed -from a wound in his head near the left temple. His clothing was shabby -and covered with dust. A G. A. R. button was on the lapel of his coat. - -As Joe knelt down and lifted the man's head to his knee, the latter -opened his eyes and gave utterance to a groan. - -Jim, who had a rough knowledge of surgery from his experience with the -accidents that are constantly happening on the ball field, ran his hands -deftly over the prostrate form. - -"Don't seem to be any bones broken," he announced after a moment. "And -that cut on the head seems to have come when he struck the road. But -let's carry him over to this patch of grass and bind up his head to stop -that bleeding." - -The handkerchiefs of the party were called into requisition and torn -into strips from which a bandage was improvised. There was a small brook -near by, and Mabel hurried to this for water, with which she bathed the -man's head and face. - -"We'd better get him into the car and carry him on to Bay Shore," said -Joe, when they had done all they could. "I don't imagine he's fatally -hurt, although at his age the shock may make it serious." - -Just then the man stirred feebly and his eyes opened. There was a -puzzled expression as he gazed into the faces surrounding him, and then -a look of comprehension as he recalled the fact of the accident. - -"Was it your car that hit me?" he asked. "But no, I know it wasn't," -he added, as he caught sight of Mabel. "There wasn't any woman in that -machine." - -"Don't try to talk," admonished Joe gently. "You've had a bad shake-up, -but there are no bones broken and you'll be as good as ever in a little -while." - -"They didn't give me a dog's chance," the old man murmured wearily. -"They must have seen me coming, but they didn't honk their horn or -give me any warning. They were fooling and laughing, and the car was -zigzagging as though the driver was half drunk. An old man like me -doesn't count, I guess, with a bunch of joy riders. Did they stop -afterwards?" - -"Not a second," declared Jim angrily. "They rushed on without even -looking behind. They're not much better than a bunch of murderers." - -"I wish we'd got their number," Joe gritted savagely between his teeth. -"I tried to, but they were raising such a cloud of dust that I only -caught the numbers seven and four as part of their license number. And -that isn't enough to go by." - -"They ought to be made to pay handsomely for the outrage," declared -Mabel indignantly. - -"We'll telephone to the towns ahead when we get to Bay Shore, describing -them as well as we can, and try to have them arrested," said Joe. "But -now we must get to a doctor or a hospital. This man ought to be attended -to at once." - -Joe and Jim lifted the old man carefully and placed him, half sitting, -half lying, in the tonneau of the car. The others crowded in as they -were able, and Reggie threw in his clutch and started on the way to Bay -Shore. - -Here on making inquiries they found that there was a large hospital at -Islip, not far away, and in a few minutes they were at the doors of the -big institution. - -A preliminary examination showed that the wound on the head was a -superficial one and that the old man was suffering chiefly from -shock. He was put to bed in a cool private room that Joe made himself -responsible for, and the doctor predicted that in a few days he would be -on his feet again and able to return to his home. - -This, they had learned from him, was Boston. His name was Louis -Anderson. He was in poor circumstances and his visit to Long Island -had been for the purpose of disposing of a tiny bit of property which -represented his last earthly possession. - -"I can't thank you boys enough," he said, as they at last prepared to -leave. "I only wish there was something I could do for you in return. I -don't suppose you often get to Boston." - -"We expect to get there several times within the next week or two," -remarked Joe, as he looked at Jim with an amused twinkle in his eye. - -"Then you must be traveling men," suggested Anderson. "What line are you -in?" - -"The baseball line," grinned Jim. - -"And you're going to Boston?" repeated Anderson. "Why, then you must be -members of the Giants and going to play in the World Series." - -"Guessed it right," Jim responded. - -"If I didn't hate to root against Boston, I'd almost wish you'd win, -after all you've done for me," Louis Anderson smiled feebly. - -"We're going to try mighty hard," Joe assured him. - -"They say that fellow Matson of yours is the king of them all," the old -man went on. - -"Oh, I don't know," responded Joe gravely. "I've known him to pitch some -rotten ball." - -They shook hands and went away, promising to keep in touch with him and -do all they could to find the reckless automobilists who had caused his -injuries. - -But although they gave the facts to the village authorities and had a -notice sent out to other towns in the car's path, they had little hope -that anything would come of it. - -"I guess they've made a clean getaway of it," judged Jim, as they once -more headed toward the city. - -"It's a burning shame," commented Mabel. "He seems to be such a nice old -man, too. The idea of those men not even stopping to see what they could -do for him." - -"He might have died in the road for all they cared," declared Reggie -indignantly. "A good long jail sentence would teach those bounders a -little decency, by Jove!" - -"I'd like to have them soaked heavily for damages," observed Joe. "I -don't think the old man would have much trouble in getting a heavy -verdict in his favor from a jury. And I guess the poor old fellow needs -all he can get." - -The knowledge, however, that the accident would not prove fatal and -the consciousness that they had done all they could to help, served to -dissipate the shock caused by the affair, and before long they were -chatting as merrily as ever. So that when at last they parted at the -doors of the Marlborough their only feeling of regret was that the day -was ended. As for Joe and Mabel, snugly ensconced in the tonneau, they -would have been willing to ride on forever. Joe said as much, and Mabel -had acquiesced with her eyes if not in words. - -It was a discordant note, therefore, when as the chums were going toward -their rooms they almost ran into "Bugs" Hartley, the former pitcher of -the Giants, who had been released earlier in the season for dissipation. - -That erratic individual, whose venom against Joe had once led him to -drug his coffee so that our hero might be unable to pitch, had rapidly -gone from bad to worse. He had exceptional ability when he kept sober, -and even after his release by McRae he could have found some other -manager willing to give him a chance if he had kept away from drink. -But he had gone steadily downhill until he was now a saloon lounger and -hanger-on. - -He had been drinking heavily now, as was evident by a glance at his -bleared face, and had reached the ugly stage of intoxication. His former -team mates stepped back as he lurched against them. - -"Hello, Hartley," said Joe not unkindly, for despite his just cause for -resentment, he was shocked and sorry to see how low "Bugs" had fallen. - -"Don't you talk to me!" snarled Hartley viciously. "You got me off the -team and knocked me out of my chance of World Series money." - -"You're wrong there, Bugs," returned Joe, keeping his temper. "I did -everything I could to help you. When you were drunk in St. Louis, Jim -and I smuggled you off to bed so that McRae wouldn't find it out. You're -your own worst enemy, Bugs." - -"Why don't you brace up, Bugs, and cut out the booze?" broke in Jim. -"You've got lots of good pitching left in you yet." - -"Quit your preaching, you guys," growled Hartley thickly. "It doesn't -work with me. You've done me dirt and I'm going to get even with you yet -and don't you forget it." - -He moved away unsteadily, and the chums watched him with a sentiment of -pity. - -"Poor old Bugs," remarked Jim. "He can't bat successfully against the -Demon Rum." - -"No," assented Joe. "I'm afraid he'll be struck out." - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE OPENING GUN - - -The practice games of the next few days were by no means tame affairs, -even though there was nothing especially at stake. - -The All-National team was, as has been seen, chosen from among the stars -of the profession, and though they lacked, of course, the team work of -the Giants, they gave the latter all they could do to hold their own. -They had been ordered to "tear things wide open" and play the game for -all it was worth. - -This they proceeded to do with such effect that when the time for the -great Series arrived the Giants had been put on their mettle and were at -the very top of their form. - -It had been an especially busy week for Joe. He had spent one day in -Boston, to which city he had run over on the midnight train at the -direction of McRae, in order that he might observe the practice of the -Red Sox and get a line on their batters. He had been impressed but not -dismayed by their show of strength, and had come back knowing that his -work was cut out for him. - -He had taken advantage, too, of his presence in Boston to arrange for -rooms for his family, as well as for Reggie and Mabel, as they expected -to go back and forth during the fateful week the Series lasted on the -same trains taken by the two teams. - -Thursday was made memorable to the New Yorks by the appearance of -Hughson. There was an affectionate roar and rush for the veteran as he -came into the clubhouse among his adoring mates. - -To the torrent of questions poured out on him as to his condition, he -responded that he was feeling fine physically, but was not yet sure of -his arm. His shoulder was still somewhat lame and tender, but he hoped -to get into some of the games later on. He tossed the ball about for a -little while, but made no attempt to cut loose with any curves or fast -ones. But the very sight of their crack pitcher once more in uniform was -a tonic and inspiration to his mates, and they put an amount of "ginger" -into their practice game that afternoon that was full of promise to -McRae and Robson, as they watched their men from the side lines. - -"I think we're going to cop the Series, Robbie," declared the former -when the practice was over. "The men are as full of pep as so many -colts." - -"They certainly look good to-day, John," was the response. "But I'd give -a thousand dollars out of my pocket at this minute if Hughson was in -shape." - -That evening Joe's parents and sister reached New York. Joe had received -a wire telling him on what train they were coming and was at the station -to meet them, full of affection and impatience. - -He scanned eagerly the long train as it rolled into the station. Then he -detected the familiar figures descending the steps of a Pullman coach, -and in a moment more there was a joyful family reunion. - -"Momsey--Dad!" he cried, grasping his father's hand and kissing his -mother, who had all she could do to keep from throwing her arms around -his neck then and there. "And Sis, you darling! Sweet and pretty as a -picture!" he exclaimed, holding her out at arms' length so that he could -look at her sparkling face. "Poor, poor Jim!" he teased. "I see his -finish!" - -Clara's color deepened, but before she could retort, Joe was hurrying -the little party through the crowd to the street, where he hailed a -taxicab and had them whirled away to their rooms at the Marlborough. - -He had arranged to have a nice supper served in their suite that night, -as he knew that they would be tired and excited after their long -journey. So they dined cosily and happily, and the hour or two of dear -familiar talk that followed marked one of the happiest experiences the -united little family had ever known. - -But Joe could not stay nearly as long as he wanted to, for to-morrow -was the day of the first game and he had to retire early so as to be in -perfect condition. - -McRae had told Joe that afternoon that he was slated to pitch the -opening game. - -"I'm banking on you, Joe," the manager told him. "You've never failed me -yet, and I don't think you'll do it now. If you fall down, we're dead -ones." - -"I'll do my very best," declared Joe earnestly. - -"Your best is good enough for any one," replied McRae. "Just show them -the same stuff you did the Chicagos in that last game and I won't ask -for anything more." - -The next morning dawned bright and clear, and the city was agog with -expectation. New York, usually so indifferent to most things, had gone -wild over the Series. The morning papers bore the flaring headlines: -"_Matson Pitches the First Game._" Crowds gathered early about the -bulletin boards. Long before the time set for the game, cars and trains -disgorged their living loads at the gates of the Polo Grounds, and -before the teams came out for practice the grandstands and bleachers -were black with swarming, jostling humanity. The metropolis was simply -baseball mad. - -Within the gates, hundreds of special officers lined the field to keep -order and prevent the overflow back of centerfield from encroaching on -the playing space. The Seventh Regiment Band played popular airs. Movie -men were here, there and everywhere, getting snapshots of the scene. -The diamond lay like so much green velvet under the bright sun, and the -freshly marked white base lines stood out in dazzling contrast. It was a -scene to stir to the depths any lover of the great national game. - -There was a thunderous roar as the teams marched down from the -clubhouse, and there were bursts of applause for the sparkling plays -that marked the preliminary practice. Then the field was cleared, the -gong rang and the umpire, taking off his hat and facing the stands, -bellowed in stentorian tones: - -"Ladies and gentlemen: The batteries for to-day's game are Fraser and -Thompson for Boston, Matson and Mylert for New York." - -Loud applause followed, and this grew into a cyclone when Joe took the -ball tossed to him and walked toward the pitcher's box. - -"Matson! Matson! Matson!" yelled the crowd. - -Joe cast a swift look at the box where his family were seated with Mabel -and Reggie. Then he touched a little glove that rested in a pocket of -his uniform. - -The head of the Red Sox batting order had taken up his position at the -plate. - -"Play ball!" called the umpire. - -Joe straightened up to his full height, wound up deliberately, and the -ball shot over the corner of the plate like a bullet. The batter lunged -at it savagely, but only hit the air. - -The crowd yelled its delight at the auspicious beginning. - -"That's the way, Joe!" - -"He can't touch you!" - -"Missed it by a mile!" - -A ball followed, then a foul, then another ball, and a final strike that -sent the batter discomfited to the bench. - -The next man up raised a towering skyscraper, which Larry gathered in -without moving from his tracks, and the third man died, as had the -first, on strikes. - -The half inning had been short and sharp, and Joe met a tempest of -encouraging cheers as he walked in to the bench. - -"You've got their number, old man!" - -"They'll break their backs trying to hit you!" - -"Some bad pitching, I don't think!" - -But Joe had had too much experience to be betrayed into any undue -elation. There were eight innings more to come and in that time many -things might happen. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -SNATCHED FROM THE FIRE - - -Not a bit dismayed by their unpromising beginning, the Red Sox took -the field, and speedily showed that they too could uncork a brand of -pitching that was not to be despised. - -The best that Burkett could do was to raise a "Texas Leaguer" that Berry -gobbled in without any trouble. Larry chopped an easy one to Girdner, -who got him at first with plenty to spare. Denton dribbled a slow roller -that Fraser gathered in on the first base line, tagging the runner as he -passed. - -And now it was the turn of the Boston enthusiasts, of whom thousands had -made the trip to see their favorites play, to yell frantically for the -Red Sox. - -Joe realized at once that he had a foeman in Fraser who was worthy of -his steel, and knew that all his skill and cunning would be required to -win. - -For the next two innings the sides were mowed down with unfailing -regularity, and not a man on either side reached first base. It looked -as though the game were going to resolve itself into a pitchers' duel, -and the crowds were breathless with excitement as batter after batter -was sent to the bench. - -The Giants broke the ice in the fourth. Burkett scorched a single to -right, and by daring base-running stretched it to a double, as Cooper -was slow in making the return. Barrett sacrificed him to third. Fraser -put on steam and fanned Denton on strikes. Then Willis came to the -rescue with a sizzling hit just inside the third base line, and Burkett -came galloping over the plate with the first run of the game. - -The crowd rose and cheered wildly, and the Giants from their dugout -threw their caps in the air and gathered around Burkett in jubilation. -It was only one run, but the way the game was going that run looked as -big as a mountain. - -Willis was caught napping off first by a snap throw from Thompson to -Hobbs, and the inning ended. - -The fifth was devoid of scoring, but in the sixth the Bostons not only -tied the Giants but passed them. - -Loomis, the crack left fielder of the visitors, started the trouble -with a sharp hit to Larry, who "booted" the ball, letting Loomis get -to first. Hobbs lay down a bunt on which Joe had no time to get Loomis -at second, though he tossed out Hobbs at first. Walters lined out the -first clean hit that the Red Sox had made so far in the game. If it had -been properly played and taken on the bound, it could have been held to -a single. But Becker made a mistake in thinking that he could make a -fly catch. The ball struck the ground in front of him, bounded over his -head and rolled to the further corner of the field. Before it could be -recovered, Walters had made the circuit of the bases, following Loomis -over the plate, and the Red Sox were in the lead by two runs to one. - -The Boston rooters started their marching song of "Tessie," while the -New Yorkers sat glum and silent. - -Joe tightened up and struck out the two following batters in jig time, -but it looked as though the mischief had been done. - -"Don't let that worry you, Joe," counseled McRae, as he came in to the -bench. "You're pitching like a Gatling gun. That's the first hit they've -got off you in six innings and it ought to have been a single only. -We'll beat 'em yet." - -"Sure we will," answered Joe, cheerfully. "We've only begun to fight." - -At the beginning of the "lucky seventh," the crowd rose and stretched in -the fond hope that it would bring the necessary luck for their favorites. - -The omen might have worked, had it not been for a dazzling bit of play -on the part of the Bostons. - -Their own half had been fruitless. Joe was pitching now like a man -inspired, and his bewildering curves and slants had made the Boston -sluggers look like "bushers." - -In the Giants' half, Joe was the first man up and he laced out a hot -liner between second and short that carried him easily to first. Mylert -hit to short and Joe was forced at second, though Berry relayed the -ball to Hobbs too late for a double play. A wild pitch, the only one of -the game, advanced Mylert a base. Burkett received a pass. Now there -was a man on first, another on second, and rousing cheers came from the -stands. There was only one man out, Fraser was evidently getting wild, -and it looked as though New York might score. - -The Boston infield moved in for a double play. And it looked for a -moment as though they would make it. Larry hit to short, and a groan -went up. But the hit was so sharp that Stock could not handle it -cleanly, and, though he succeeded in getting Burkett at second Larry -reached first safely while Mylert raced to third. - -It was a time for desperate measures, and McRae gave the signal for a -double steal. The moment Fraser wound up, Larry started for second, -not with a design of reaching it, but hoping to draw a throw from the -catcher, under cover of which Mylert might scamper home from third. If -he could touch the plate before Larry was put out, the run would count -and the score be tied. - -Thompson threw like a shot to Berry at second. But instead of chasing -Larry, who had stopped midway between first and second, he kept -threatening to throw to third and catch Mylert, who was taking as big a -lead toward home as he dared. After playing hide and seek for a moment, -Berry thought he saw a chance to nip Mylert and threw to Girdner at -third. But the ball touched the tips of his fingers and got past him, -and Mylert started for home. - -A howl of exultation went up from the throng. Then it died away as -suddenly as it had risen. - -Girdner, chasing the ball, slipped as he went to pick it up. Lying on -the grass, he made a desperate throw in the direction of the plate. -It went high, but Thompson made a tremendous jump, pulled it down and -clapped it on Mylert just as he slid into the rubber. - -"Out," yelled the umpire. - -It was as classy a play as any of the spectators had ever seen, and even -the New Yorkers, sore as they were at losing the run, joined generously -in the applause that greeted it. - -"That fellow Girdner must have a rabbit's foot about him somewhere," -remarked Robson to McRae with a twisted smile. "He couldn't do that -thing again in a thousand years." - -"A few more things like that and the crowd will die of heart disease -or nervous prostration," answered McRae. "But they can't have all the -breaks. Just watch. Our turn will be coming next." - -But nothing happened in the eighth to change the score, and the ninth -opened with the Red Sox still in the lead. - -That the Red Sox would not score again was as nearly certain as anything -can be in baseball. Joe, as cool as an icicle, was going at top speed. -They simply could not touch his offerings. - -But as the visitors went back in one, two, three order, they consoled -themselves with the thought that they did not have to do any more -scoring. They were already ahead, and if Fraser could hold their -opponents down for one more inning, the game was theirs. - -But Fraser had about reached his limit. He could not stand the gaff -as sturdily as Joe. With the exception of that one wild spell, he had -pitched superbly, but the terrific strain was beginning to tell. - -His first two pitches went as balls, and McRae, whose eagle eyes saw -signs of wavering, signaled Becker, who was at the bat, to "wait him -out." - -The advice proved good, and Becker trotted down to first where he -immediately began to dance about and yell, hoping to draw a throw which -in the pitcher's nervous condition might go wild. - -The Red Sox players shouted encouragement to their pitcher, and the -catcher walked down to the box on the pretense of advice but really to -give him time to recover himself. - -No doubt this helped, for Fraser braced up and made Iredell put up a -towering foul, which Thompson caught after a long run. - -Joe came next and cracked out a pretty single between short and second. -Becker tried to make third on it, but a magnificent throw by Walters -nipped him at the bag. But in the mix-up, Joe, by daring running, got to -second. - -With two out, a long hit would tie the game, anyway, and carry it into -extra innings. - -Fraser seemed to waver again and gave Mylert his base on balls. Then big -Burkett, the head of the batting order, strode to the plate. - -Amid frantic adjurations from the crowd to "kill the ball," he caught -the second one pitched and sent a screaming liner far out toward the -right field wall. - -Cooper, the fleet Red Sox right fielder, had started for it at the crack -of the bat. On, on he went, running like a deer. - -Thirty-five thousand people were on their feet, yelling like maniacs, -while Joe, Mylert and Burkett raced round the bases. - -Ball and man reached the wall at the same instant. The gallant player -leaped high in the air. But the ball just touched the tips of his -fingers and rolled away, while Joe and Mylert dented the rubber, Burkett -halting when he reached second. - -Then the crowd went crazy. - -The game was over. It had been a battle royal, but the Giants had -vanquished the Red Sox, and had taken their first stride toward the -championship of the world. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE TABLES TURNED - - -Baseball Joe waited just long enough to wave his cap at the box in which -his party sat, and then raced with his companions to the clubhouse -before the crowd that was rushing down over the field should overwhelm -them. - -Mabel turned towards Mrs. Matson, who had been watching the game with -the most intense interest and yet with a sense of complete bewilderment. -The intricacies of the game were new to her, but she knew that her boy -had won, and at the applause showered upon him her fond heart swelled -with motherly pride. - -"What do you think of that son of yours now?" Mabel asked gaily. "Didn't -I tell you he was going to win?" - -"It was j-just wonderful," replied Mrs. Matson, reaching for her -handkerchief to stay the happy tears that had not been far from her eyes -all through the game. - -Mr. Matson had renewed his youth, and his eyes were shining like a -boy's. Clara clapped her hands and laughed almost hysterically. - -"Oh, oh, oh!" she cried. "And he's my brother!" - -Mabel laughed and gave her a little affectionate pat. - -"I don't wonder that you're proud of him," she said. Joe would have been -glad to hear the slight tremble in her voice. - -In the clubhouse there was, of course, a mighty celebration. A lead -of one game in such a series as that promised to be was, as "Robbie" -exultantly said, "not to be sneezed at." Now they would have to win only -three more to be sure of the flag, while the Red Sox needed to take four. - -And yet, despite the victory, there was no undue boasting or elation. -They had not won by any such margin as to justify too rosy a view of -the future. The Red Sox had fought for the game tooth and nail, and -at various stages a hair would have turned the balance one way or the -other. The Bostons were an enemy to be dreaded, and a profound respect -for their opponents had been implanted in the Giants' breasts. - -Besides, McRae knew that he had "played his ace" in putting Joe into -the box. He had no pitcher of equal rank to bring out on the morrow, -while at least two of the Red Sox boxmen were quite as high as Fraser in -quality. - -"You did splendidly to-day, Matson," said McRae to Joe, clapping him -jovially on the shoulder. - -"I'm glad we won," responded Joe. "But that Fraser is no slouch when it -comes to putting them over." - -"He's a crackerjack," the manager admitted. "But you topped him all the -way through. We raked him for seven hits, though he kept them pretty -well scattered. But they only got to you for three, and one of them was -a scratch. And he was wobbly twice, while you only gave one pass." - -"That crack of Burkett's was a dandy," observed Joe. "And it came just -in the nick of time." - -"It was a lulu," chuckled McRae. "My heart was in my mouth when I saw -Cooper making for it. Mighty few hits get away from that bird, but it -was just a bit too high for him." - -Both teams were to leave for Boston that night. A special train made up -entirely of Pullman cars had been prepared to carry them, together with -hundreds of enthusiasts who had planned to go with them back and forth -and see each game of the Series. They would reach the city a little -after midnight, and in order that the athletes might not be disturbed, -they would be shunted into a remote part of the railroad yards where -they could slumber peacefully until morning. - -But several hours were to elapse before the train started. Joe hurried -into his street clothes, and, accompanied by Jim Barclay, was whirled -away in a taxicab to the Marlborough, where they had arranged to have a -jolly dinner with his family and the Varleys. - -The baseball players found everything ready for them, and the welcome -that greeted them warmed their hearts. - -"What a pity that we haven't a band here ready to strike up: 'Hail the -conquering heroes come,'" said Mabel, mischievously. - -"'Hero,' you mean," corrected Jim. "I'm shining with only reflected -glory. Here's the real hero of the piece," indicating Joe. "I'm only one -of the Roman populace." - -"And who's the villain?" smiled Mr. Matson. - -"Oh, Fraser was the villain," responded Jim. "But Joe foiled him just as -he was about to carry away the che-ild." - -Barclay had not yet met Joe's family, but now Joe introduced him to his -parents and Clara. They greeted him cordially, and Clara's eyes fell -before the admiration that leaped into Jim's merry blue ones. - -It is barely possible that that young lady had thought more than once -of what Joe had said of Barclay in the letter that had enclosed the -thousand dollar bill. And now as she studied him shyly from time to -time while he chatted away gaily, she had no difficulty in understanding -why Joe had spoken so enthusiastically of his friend. And she was not -sorry that Mabel had arranged that she and Jim should sit next each -other at the table. - -They were soon talking with freedom and animation. - -"You ought to be awfully proud of that brother of yours," Jim declared. - -"I should say so!" Clara exclaimed. "He's the dearest brother that ever -lived." - -"He's a prince," assented Jim. "A finer fellow never trod in shoe -leather. I owe an awful lot to him, Miss Matson. I was feeling as -forlorn as only a 'rookie' can feel when I broke into the big league, -but he took me up at once and we've been like brothers ever since." - -"He's often spoken of you in his letters home," replied Clara. "I'd tell -you what he said of you, only it would make you too conceited." - -"And he's raved to me about that sister of his," said Jim. "He's done -more than that. He's shown me your picture. I've been tempted more than -once to steal it from him." - -"What a desperate criminal," laughed Clara, her cheeks growing pink. - -"I think any jury would justify me if they once saw the picture," -replied Jim, gallantly, "and they certainly would if they caught sight -of the original." - -From this it can be seen that these young folks were fast becoming very -friendly. - -"It has been the dream of my life to see New York and Boston," observed -Clara. - -"Is that so?" said Jim, eagerly. "I know both of them like a book. You -must let me show you around." - -"That's very nice of you," said Clara, demurely. "But I suppose Joe will -want----" - -"Oh, of course," said Jim. "But Joe will be so busy you know with the -games. He'll be under a big strain, while I'll probably have plenty of -time. I'm only a sort of fifth wheel to the coach, while Joe's the whole -thing. And then, too, Joe's already got Mabel, and it isn't fair that he -should have two lovely girls while I'm left out in the cold. You really -must take pity on me." - -Few girls would have been so hard-hearted as to let such a handsome -young fellow as Jim die of grief, and Clara had no intention of -hastening his demise by excessive cruelty on her part. So she assented, -though with the proper degree of maidenly hesitation, and they began -merrily to map out plans for the coming week. - -Joe, seated with Mabel on one side and his mother on the other, had also -been enjoying himself hugely through the dinner, while Reggie and Mr. -Matson found plenty to talk about in discussing the events of the day. -The time passed all too swiftly and before they knew it they had to -begin preparations for the journey. - -"Let's look at the weather probabilities for to-morrow," said Joe, -buying an evening paper at the newsstand as they passed through the -Grand Central Terminal. - -"Um--cloudy and unsettled," he read. - -"That means that we'll have to get busy and win in the first five -innings before the rain comes," laughed Jim. - -"It ought to be a good day to pitch Markwith," returned Joe. "With a -cloudy day and that blinding speed of his they won't be able to see the -ball." - -The two young athletes saw their party to their car, and after a few -moments of pleasant chat bade them good-night and repaired to the -Pullmans that had been reserved for the Giant team. - -All were in a most jovial mood and filled with highest hopes for the -morrow. Joke and banter flew back and forth, until the watchful McRae -asserted the claims of discipline and sent them all to their berths. - -The next morning when they drew the curtains, they found that the -weather man's prognostications had been correct. Dull, leaden-colored -clouds chased each other across the sky and a bleak wind came from the -east. - -"Looks like soggy weather, sure enough," commented Jim, as he met Joe in -the lavatory. - -"It certainly does," assented Joe. "Hope it holds off till after the -game. It may cut down the attendance." - -"No danger of that unless it rains cats and dogs," rejoined Jim. "Boston -is the best baseball city in the country, and it'll take more than a few -clouds or even a drizzle to keep the crowds away." - -They breakfasted in the dining car, and then Joe's party adjourned to -the hotel where rooms had been reserved. There was not much time for -sight seeing, but they all had a pleasant little stroll on the Common -and in the wonderful Botanical Gardens, before their duties called the -young men away to the baseball grounds. - -The weather still continued threatening, but as Jim had prophesied, this -did not affect the attendance. Boston was as wild over the Series as -New York, and long before noon Commonwealth Avenue and Gaffney Street -were packed with the oncoming throngs. By the time the game started the -enormous Braves Field was packed to its utmost capacity. - -Personally, McRae welcomed the overcast sky. It was a pitcher's day, a -day that called for speed, and speed as everybody knew was Markwith's -"long suit." - -"Smoke 'em over, Red," was McRae's admonition, when he told Markwith he -was slated to pitch. "If we can only put this game on the right side of -the ledger, the world's flag is as good as won. Give us a lead of two -games and it will take the spine out of those birds. They'll never catch -up." - -"I get you, Mac," grinned the pitcher. "I'll zip 'em over so fast -they'll have to use glasses to see 'em." - -For four innings it looked as though his prophecy would be fulfilled. -His companions played like fiends behind him, and although the Bostons -got to him for three bingles, they were scattered ones, and not a man -got as far as third base. - -"Looks as though Red had their goat, John," Robson remarked to McRae. - -"He's doing fine," McRae returned, "and our boys seem to be getting to -Banks pretty freely." - -The Giants had, in fact, got a pretty good line on Banks, the port -flinger of the Red Sox, and had accumulated three runs, which, with -Markwith going as he was, seemed a very comfortable lead. - -But the glorious uncertainty of the national game was demonstrated in -the next inning. The Giants had been disposed of in their half with a -goose egg, and the Red Sox came in to bat. - -The first man up was given a base on balls. The next hit a sharp bounder -to Denton, who ought to have made an easy out either at first or -second, but he juggled the ball and both men were safe. - -The error seemed to unnerve Markwith, and he gave another pass, filling -the bases. - -"Get to him, boys!" screamed the Boston coacher on the side lines near -first base. "He's got nothing on the ball but his glove and a prayer." - -Walters, the slugging center fielder, caught the second ball pitched -right on the seam and sent it on a line between left and center for the -cleanest of home runs, clearing the bases and denting the rubber himself -for the fourth run. In jig time, the Red Sox had wiped out the Giants' -advantage and taken the lead. - -The crowd went wild and the "Tessie" song swelled up from the stands. - -McRae, with his brow like a thunder cloud, beckoned Red from the box and -called in Jim, who, as a matter of precaution but with little idea of -being called upon, had been warming up in a corner of the grounds. - -"It's up to you, Barclay," he said as he handed him the ball. "Let's see -now what stuff you're made of." - -Joe gave Jim an encouraging pat on the shoulder. - -"Steady does it, old man," he said. "They're only one run ahead and the -bases are empty. Hold them down and our boys will hand you enough runs -to win out." - -It was a trying position for a young and comparatively new pitcher, but -Jim was a "comer" and had already proved in other games that he had both -skill and nerve. - -"Knock this one out of the box, too," came from the stands. - -"Sew up the game right now!" - -"Eat him up!" - -"He'll be easy!" - -"Oh, you Red Sox!" - -Jim wound up and shot one over for a strike. - -"Easy, is he?" came back from the Giant supporters. "Just watch that -boy's smoke." - -Another strike followed, and the stands sobered down a little. - -"You're out," called the umpire, as a third strike split the plate. - -Shouts of delight and encouragement came from the Giants' bench, and -McRae's face lightened somewhat. - -The next man went out on a high foul, and the inning ended when Stock -popped an easy fly to the box. - -"Bully for you, old man!" came from his mates, as Jim walked in from the -mound. - -"Knock out some runs now, you fellows," admonished McRae. "Barclay can't -do it all. And do it in a hurry, too. I don't like the way those clouds -are coming up." - -The sky was blackening rapidly, and the wind, coming from the east in -strong gusts, told that a storm was on the way. - -The Giants knew the need of haste, and they went at their work fiercely. -Larry started proceedings with a rattling two bagger. Denton sacrificed -him to third. Willis lined out a single, bringing in Larry and reaching -second himself a moment later on a passed ball. Becker sent one to right -that scored Willis and netted two bags for himself. Iredell went out -on an infield catch, but Mylert came to the rescue with a sizzling hit -that brought Becker to the plate amid frantic shouts from the New York -rooters. - -Three runs had been scored and New York was again in the lead by six to -four. Two men were out. But now rain began to fall, although at first it -was only a drizzle, and McRae, frenzied with anxiety, ordered Burkett to -strike out. - -Now, of course, it was the Bostons' cue to delay the game. If they could -prevent the sixth inning from being fully played out before the rain -stopped proceedings, the score would revert to what it was at the end of -the fifth inning and Boston would be declared the winner. - -They came in slowly from the field, stopping frequently to talk to each -other. Then when at last they were at their bench, the first batter -took unusual pains in selecting his bat. And all the time the rain was -falling more heavily. - -McRae rushed at the umpire. - -"Can't you see what they're doing?" he demanded. "Make them play ball." - -The umpire turned sternly to the batter. - -"Hurry up there," he commanded. "None of your monkey tricks or I'll -forfeit the game to the New Yorks." - -Thus adjured, the batter sauntered as slowly as he dared to the plate. - -Jim put over a strike. - -"That wasn't a strike," argued the Boston captain. "It didn't come -within six inches of the plate." - -"No argument," snapped the umpire, who saw through the tactics. "Go -ahead there," he called to Jim. - -Jim put over two more. The batter did not even offer at them. He had -figured that with an occasional ball switched in it would take more time -to put him out on strikes than if he gave a fielder's chance. But there -were no balls and he was declared out. - -The second man crawled like a snail to the plate. It was pouring now and -the bleachers were black with umbrellas. The Giants were fairly dancing -up and down with impatience and apprehension. - -Jim pitched like lightning, not waiting to wind up. But before he could -dispose of the batsmen, the heavens opened and the rain came down in -torrents. - -[Illustration: THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE RAIN CAME DOWN IN TORRENTS.] - -Play was impossible. The umpire called the game and everybody scurried -for shelter. - -Old Jupiter Pluvius had taken a hand in the game. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A GALLANT EFFORT - - -It is needless to paint the exasperation on the faces of McRae and -Robson and the rest of the Giant team, as they saw victory taken from -them just as they were tightening their grip upon it. - -"Talk about luck," growled McRae. "Those fellows have got hogsheads of -it." - -"Why couldn't that rain have held off for ten minutes more?" groaned the -rotund Robson. - -"It may let up even yet enough to let the game go on," remarked Larry, -though without much conviction. - -"Such a chance," grunted Willis. "Why, you could take a swim at second -base already." - -There was, indeed, little hope of resuming the game, although in -accordance with the rules, if the rain ceased in half an hour and the -grounds were in condition for play, the umpires could call the teams -back to the field. But the rain was blinding, and to wait around any -longer was only a matter of form. - -Joe and Jim had worked their way through the crowds to the box in -which their party sat. In the neat, gray, traveling uniforms that set -their athletic figures off to perfection, the girls thought they looked -handsomer than ever. - -All gave them a hearty welcome and gladly made room for them. It was, of -course, only by a coincidence that Joe found himself next to Mabel while -Jim sat close to Clara. - -"I'm so glad your side won, Joe," said motherly Mrs. Matson, beaming -lovingly on her son and heir. - -"But we didn't, Momsey," Joe laughed a little ruefully. - -"Why, I kept count of the runs," said his mother in surprise, "and your -side made six while the others had only four." - -"That's right, but our last three don't count," explained Joe. "If we -could only have finished out this last inning, we'd have won. But it -wasn't finished, and so the score went back to the end of the fifth -inning when the Bostons were ahead four to three." - -"I think that's a shame!" exclaimed his mother, with as near an approach -to indignation as her kindly nature was capable of feeling. - -"Those old Bostons were just horrid to try to delay the game that way," -declared Clara. - -"It wasn't a bit sportsmanlike," declared Mabel, warmly. - -Joe favored Jim with a solemn wink. Both knew that the Giants would have -done precisely the same thing if positions had been reversed. It was a -legitimate enough part of the game if one could "get away with it." - -"Yes," assented Joe, keeping his face straight. "It didn't seem exactly -the thing." - -"I don't wonder Mr. McRae was angry," said Mabel. "I'm sure he wouldn't -have done a thing like that." - -Joe had a sudden choking fit. - -"Well," he said, "there's no use crying over spilt milk. We ought to -have made those runs earlier in the game, that's all." - -"I felt so sorry for poor Mr. Markwith," said Mrs. Matson. "It must have -been very mortifying to have to give up before so many people." - -"Poor Red," said Joe. "It was too bad, especially when he got away to -such a splendid start. But every pitcher has to take his medicine some -time. Pitchers are very much like race horses. One day no one can beat -them and another day any one can beat them." - -"I think you did splendidly, Mr. Barclay," said Clara, shyly. - -"Oh, I didn't have much to do," said Jim. "Just the same," he added, -dropping his voice a trifle, "I'd rather hear you say that than any one -else I know." - -The flush that made Clara look like a wild rose deepened in her cheeks -not only from the words but the quick look that accompanied them. - -"Don't you think it might clear up yet?" she asked, changing the subject. - -Jim followed her gaze reluctantly. He had something better to look at -than the weather. - -"The clouds do seem to be breaking away a little," he assented. "But the -base paths are a sea of mud, and the outfield is a perfect quagmire. -There go the umpires now to look at it." - -Those dignitaries (there were four of them that officiated at each game, -one behind the plate, one at the bases and the two others at the foul -lines in right and left field, respectively) were, as a matter of fact, -solemnly stalking out on the field. - -From the stands went up a thunderous roar: "Call the game! Call the -game!" - -The Boston rooters were taking no chances and were perfectly willing to -go without further baseball that afternoon, now that their favorites had -the game won. - -But their exhortations were unnecessary. Even McRae, clinging -desperately to the last chance, could not in justice to his common sense -urge that play should be continued. It was clearly impossible, and would -have degenerated into a farce that would have risked the limbs of his -athletes, to say nothing of the harm it would work to the game. - -So there was no protest when the game was formally and finally declared -off, and the disgruntled New Yorks gathered up their bats and strode -from the field. - -"Never mind, boys," comforted McRae. "We can beat the Red Sox but we -can't beat them and the rain together. Better luck next time." - -"That listens good," grumbled "Robbie," who refused to be consoled. "But -now we've lost the jump on them and it's all to be done over again." - -"Well, we're no worse off than they are, anyway," returned the Giant -manager. - -"If we could only pitch Matson every day, the Series would be a cinch," -mused Robson. - -"A copper-riveted cinch," agreed McRae. "But I was mightily encouraged -at the way young Barclay mowed them down. The ball didn't look any -bigger than a pea as it came over the plate." - -"He certainly had lots of stuff on the ball," admitted Robson. "I wonder -if he can stand the gaff for a full game." - -"I don't know whether he's seasoned enough for that yet," said McRae, -thoughtfully. "But it'll stand a lot of thinking about. We'll see first -though how Hughson's feeling when we get back to New York." - -The return journey to New York was not by any means so joyful as the -trip out had been. Still, there was no discouragement in the Giants' -camp. They had played good ball and with the lead they had and the way -Jim was pitching would probably have won if it had not been for the -rain. And on the theory that the good and bad luck of the game usually -struck an average, they felt that they were due to have the break in -their favor the next time. - -As for Joe and Jim, although, of course, they shared the chagrin -of their mates, their cloud had plenty of silver lining. They had -played their own parts well so far in the Series, and had no painful -recollections to grow moody about. And then, too, were they not in the -company of the two girls whom they devoutly believed to be the most -charming in the world? - -They made the most of that company in the quiet Sunday that followed. -Mr. and Mrs. Matson smilingly declined Reggie's cordial invitation, on -the ground that they were feeling the need of rest after the excitement. -The young people bundled into the car and they had a delightful ride -through the woods of Westchester, whose trees were putting on their -autumn tints of scarlet and russet and gold. A supper at the Claremont -put the finish to a day in which the blind god with his bow and arrows -had been extremely busy, and the drive home through the twilight was -something none of them ever forgot. - -The next morning, Joe, scanning the paper, gave a delighted exclamation. - -"What's the matter?" asked Jim, disturbed in a pleasing reverie that had -nothing to do with baseball. - -"Matter enough," returned Joe, handing him the paper. "Hughson's going -to pitch. McRae must have fixed it up with him yesterday." - -"Gallant old scout!" cried Jim, his eyes kindling. "I was sure he'd get -into the scrap somewhere. The only way you could keep that old war horse -out of the World Series would be to hit him with an axe!" - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -MORE HARD LUCK - - -"Won't this make Boston feel sore!" Baseball Joe exulted. - -"You bet it will," chuckled Jim. "That's the one thing they were banking -on more than anything else. With Hughson out, they thought we didn't -have a chance." - -"Let's get through breakfast in a hurry and run up and see the old boy," -cried Joe. - -Jim needed no urging and they were soon in a taxicab and on their way to -Hughson's home. - -They were met at the door by Mrs. Hughson, who greeted them with a -pleasant smile and ushered them into the living room, where they found -the great pitcher stretched out at his ease and running over the columns -of the morning paper. - -He jumped to his feet when he saw who his visitors were, and there was a -hearty interchange of handshakes. - -"So Richard is himself again," beamed Joe. - -"Best news we've had in a dog's age," added Jim. - -"Yes, I guess the old salary wing is on the job again," laughed Hughson. - -"How's it feeling?" asked Joe, eagerly. - -"Fine as silk," Hughson responded. "I've been trying it out gradually, -and I don't see but what I can put them over as well as ever I did. It -hurts me a little on the high, fast ones, but everything else I've got -in stock seems to go as well as I could ask." - -"What does the doctor say about your pitching?" asked Jim. - -"Oh, he's dead set against it," was the answer. "Tells me it isn't well -yet by any means, and that it may go back on me any minute. But you know -how those doctors are. They always want to make a sure thing of it. But -McRae and I have been talking it over, and we've concluded that in the -present condition of things it might be well to take a chance." - -"That head of yours is all right, anyway, you old fox," laughed Joe. -"You've always pitched with that as much as with your arm. You'll -outguess those fellows, even if you have to favor your arm a little." - -"We'll hope so, anyway," was the reply. "That was hard luck the boys had -in Boston on Saturday, wasn't it? Pity we couldn't have had it played -here that day. It didn't rain a drop in New York." - -"We were surely up against it," replied Joe. "But to-day's another day -and we'll hope it tells a different story." - -"By the way," grinned Hughson, "an old friend of yours was up here -yesterday." - -"Is that so?" asked Joe. "Who was it?" - -"'Bugs' Hartley." - -The two young men gave vent to an exclamation of surprise. - -"He's a great friend of mine," said Joe, dryly. "He met me on the street -the other night and showed me that I was as popular with him as a -rattlesnake at a picnic party." - -"He certainly is sore at you," Hughson laughed. "He started in to pan -you but I shut him up in a hurry. I told him that you'd always done -everything you could to help him, and I hinted to him that we knew -pretty well who drugged your coffee that day you pitched against the -Phillies. He swore, of course, that he didn't do it." - -"I know that he did," Joe replied. "But still I've never felt so sore -against poor old Bugs as I would have felt against any one else who did -such a thing, because I knew that he was a little queer in the head. -Even now I'd gladly do him a favor if I could. What did he come here -for?" - -"He wanted to get on to Boston but didn't have the price," answered -Hughson. "He thought that if he could see Rawlings he might get a -chance with the Braves for next season. And he might, at that. You know -what Rawlings has done with a lot of cast-offs from other teams, and if -he could keep Bugs from kicking over the traces he might get something -out of him next year. You know as well as I do what Bugs can do in the -pitching line if he'll only brace up and cut out drink. So I coughed up -enough to send him on and I hope he'll get another chance." - -"I hope so," rejoined Joe, heartily. "There are mighty few teams that -can beat him when he's right." - -"But keep your eyes open, Joe, just the same," counseled Hughson. "He's -holding a grudge against you in that old twisted brain of his, and you'd -be as safe with him as if you were on a battlefield." - -"I guess he's done his worst already," Joe laughed carelessly. - -They talked a few minutes longer, and then, as the rubber came in to -give Hughson's arm its daily massage, they took their way downtown. - -The whole city was alive with excitement at the news that the famous -standby of the Giants was to be in the box that afternoon. Yet mingled -with this was an under current of anxiety. Was he in shape to pitch? -Would that mighty arm of his hold out, so soon after his injury? - -If wild and long-continued cheering could have won the game, it would -have been won right at the start when Hughson came out on the field a -little while before the gong sounded. - -It was a tribute of which any man might have been proud. For more than a -dozen years he had been the mainstay of the team. His record had never -been approached in baseball history. - -Year in and year out he had pitched his team to victory. Several times -they had won the pennant of the National League, and even when they -failed they had always been up among the contenders. And more than to -any single man, this had been due to Hughson's stout heart and mighty -arm. - -And the affection showered upon him was due not only to his prowess as -a twirler, but to his character as a man. He was a credit to the game. -The fines and discipline, so necessary in the case of many brilliant -players, had never been visited upon him. He had steered clear of -dissipation in any form. He was sportsmanlike and generous. Players on -opposing teams liked him, the umpires respected him, his mates idolized -him, and the great baseball public hailed him with acclamations whenever -he appeared on the field. - -And to-day the applause was heartier than ever because of the importance -of the game and also in recognition of his gameness in coming to the -help of his team so soon after a serious accident. - -"They're all with you, Hughson," smiled McRae, as the bronzed pitcher -lifted his cap in response to the cheers that rose from every quarter of -the field. - -"They seem to be, John," replied Hughson. "Let's hope they won't be -disappointed." - -As the game went on, it seemed as though the hopes of the spectators -were to be gratified. - -The veteran pitched superbly for seven innings. His twirling was up to -the standard of his best games. He mowed the opposing batsman down one -after the other, and as inning after inning passed with only two scratch -hits as the Bostons' total, it began to look as though it would be a -shutout for the visitors. - -"They've got holes in their bats," cried McRae, gleefully, as he brought -his hand down on Robson's knee with a thump. - -"It sure looks like it!" ejaculated Robbie. "But for the love of Mike, -John, go easy. That ham of yours weighs a hundred pounds." - -But the Boston pitcher, stirred up by the fact that he was pitted -against the great Hughson, was also "going great guns." Larry and -Burkett had been the only Giants so far to solve his delivery. Each had -hammered out a brace of hits, but their comrades had been unable to -bring them in from the bags on which they were roosting. - -"Get after him, boys," raged McRae. "You're hitting like a bunch from -the old ladies' home. Split the game wide open." - -They promised vehemently to knock the cover off the ball, but the Red -Sox pitcher, Landers, was not a party to the bargain and he obstinately -refused to "crack." - -In the first half of the eighth, Cooper, of the Bostons, knocked up an -infield fly that either Larry or Denton could have got easily. But they -collided in running for it and the ball fell to the ground and rolled -out toward center. Iredell, who was backing up the play, retrieved it, -but in the mix-up, Cooper, by fast running, reached second. - -Though both men had been shaken up by the collision they were not -seriously injured, and after a few minutes play was resumed. - -But in the strained condition of the players' nerves, the accident had -to some degree unstrung them. So that when Berry chopped an easy roller -to Denton that the latter ordinarily would have "eaten up," he juggled -it for a moment. Then, in his haste to make the put-out at first, he -threw wild and the ball went over Burkett's head. Before he could get it -back, Cooper had scored and Berry was on third. - -The Boston rooters howled like wild men, and their hats went sailing -into the air. - -Hughson, cool as an iceberg, brought his fadeaway into play and whiffed -the next man up. Then Hobbs rolled one to the left of the box. Hughson -made a great reach for it and got it, though he slipped and fell as he -did so. He snapped the ball, however, to Mylert, nipping Berry at the -plate. - -Mylert returned the ball to Hughson who took his position in the box and -began to wind up. But almost instantly his hand dropped to his side. - -He tried again but fruitlessly. - -McRae ran out to him in consternation. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -FLEMING TURNS UP AGAIN - - -"What's the matter, Hughson?" McRae cried. - -"The old arm won't work," replied the pitcher. "Guess I hurt it in the -same old place when I fell." - -His fellow players crowded around him, and the umpire, who had called -time, came up to ascertain the damage. - -The club doctor also ran out from his seat in the stands near the press -box and made a hurried examination. - -"You've strained those ligaments again," he remarked, "and as far as I -can tell now one of them is broken. I told you that they weren't healed -enough for you to pitch." - -McRae groaned in sympathy with Hughson and in dismay for himself and his -team. He had been congratulating himself that with Hughson in the fine -form he had showed that afternoon the world's pennant was as good as won. - -"It's too bad, old man," he said to Hughson. "You never pitched better. -You were just burning them over." - -"I'm fearfully sorry," Hughson answered. "I did want to be in the thick -of the fight with the rest of the boys. But I guess all I can do from -now on is to root for them." - -He took off his glove and walked over to the bench, amid a chorus of -commiserating shouts from the stands. - -McRae beckoned to Joe. - -"Jump in, Joe," he directed briefly, "and hold them down. They've only -got one run. I'm depending on you to see that they don't get any more." - -Joe went into the box and tossed two or three to Mylert to get the range -of the plate. He had a greeting from the fans that warmed the cockles of -his heart. - -There were two men out and Hobbs was dancing around first. Joe saw out -of the corner of his eye that he was taking too big a lead, and snapped -the ball like a bullet to Burkett. Hobbs tried desperately to get back -but was nipped by a foot. - -Joe had finished putting out the side without pitching a ball. - -"Some speed that," came from the stands. - -"I guess Matson's slow." - -"We don't have to pitch to beat you fellows," piped a fan and the crowd -roared. - -But nothing could hide the fact that the Red Sox were ahead. McRae -brought all his resources into play and sent two pinch hitters to -the plate. But though one of them, Browning, knocked out a corking -three-bagger, the inning ended without results. - -In the ninth, Joe had no trouble in disposing of the men who faced him. -His slants and cross fire had them "buffaloed." One went out on a foul, -another was an easy victim at first, and he put on the finishing touch -by striking the third man out. - -McRae tore round among his men like an elephant on a rampage as they -came in for their half of the ninth. They, however, needed no urging. -They were as wild to win as he was himself, and they were almost frantic -as they saw victory slipping from them. - -They did do something, but not enough. By the time two men were out, -there was a Giant on first and another on second. Larry, the slugger of -the team, was at the bat. He picked out a fast one and sent it hurtling -on a line to left. It looked like a sure hit, but Stock, the shortstop, -leaped high into the air and speared it with his gloved hand, and the -shout that had gone up from the stands ended in a groan. - -Three games of the Series had been played and the Red Sox had won two of -them! - -It was a disgruntled band of athletes who went under the shower in the -Giant clubhouse that afternoon, and when Joe and Jim joined their party -at the Marlborough in the early evening, the air of jubilation they had -worn on the day of the first game was conspicuous by its absence. - -"If you had that band here you were talking about Friday, what do you -suppose they would play?" Joe asked of Mabel, after the first greetings -were over. - -"They ought to play the 'Dead March in Saul,'" Jim volunteered. - -"Not a bit of it," denied Mabel, cheerily. - - "There's a better day coming and dinna' ye doubt it, - So just be canty wi' thinking about it," - -she quoted, flashing a sunny smile at Joe that made him feel more -cheerful at once. - -"It was too bad," comforted Mrs. Matson. "But, anyway, Joe, it wasn't -your fault," she added, beaming fondly on her son. - -"Call it misfortune then, Momsey," Joe smiled back at her. "But it -surely was that. We lost the game, we lost it on our own grounds, we -were whitewashed, and worst of all Hughson is out for the rest of the -Series." - -"That's enough for one day," acquiesced Jim. - -"Stop your grouching, you fellows," admonished Reggie. "You'll have -plenty of chances to even things up." - -"Oh, we'll fight all the harder," agreed Joe. "There isn't a streak of -yellow in the whole Giant team. The boys will fight like wildcats and -never give up until the last man is out in the deciding game. We're -looking for revenge to-morrow." - -"And maybe revenge won't be sweet!" chimed in Jim. - -"Who is going to pitch for your side to-morrow?" asked Mr. Matson. - -"McRae gave me a tip that I was to go in," Joe answered. - -"Then we might as well count the game as good as won," declared Mabel. - -"That certainly sounds good," laughed Joe. "But suppose I should be -batted out of the box? I wouldn't dare show my diminished head among you -folks then." - -"We're not worrying a bit about that," put in Clara, looking proudly at -her idolized brother. - -But the question was not to be settled on the morrow, for when the -day dawned in Boston the rain was falling steadily, and the weather -predictions were that the rain would continue for the greater part of -the day. - -For once, at least, the much maligned weather prophet was right, for at -noon the rain had not abated, and, much to the disgust of the expectant -public, the game was declared off. - -By the rules that had been made to cover such an event, the teams were -to stay in Boston until the first fair day should permit the game to be -played. - -The different members of Joe's party were rather widely scattered, -when the sun finally peeped out in the course of the afternoon. Reggie -had taken his sister out to a country club where he had a number of -acquaintances. Mrs. Matson and Clara were doing some shopping in the -Boston stores and Mr. Matson had gone out for a stroll. - -Joe and Jim had been downtown with the rest of the team having a -heart-to-heart talk with McRae and Robson about the strategy to be -adopted in the forthcoming games. - -By four o'clock the sun was shining gloriously and the roads were -beginning to dry out. Just the day, Joe thought, to hire a runabout just -big enough for two and take Mabel out for a spin. - -He conjectured that by the time he got the car and reached the hotel -Mabel would have returned from her trip with Reggie and be ready for him. - -"Come along, Jim, and help me to pick out the car," he said. - -They went to a neighboring garage and selected one which both agreed was -a good one. - -"Jump in, Jim," said Joe, "and I'll give you a ride as far as the hotel." - -They were bowling rapidly along, when an automobile passed them, moving -at a rate of speed that was almost reckless. Joe saw that a man and a -woman were the only occupants. - -He glanced carelessly at the man and was startled when he saw that it -was Beckworth Fleming. - -But he was still more startled when his eyes passed to the face of -Fleming's companion. - -It was Mabel! - -Jim, too, was staring as though he could not believe his eyes. - -For a moment Joe saw red and his blood boiled with rage. He stopped the -car and looked back. - -Then his rage turned to alarm, for Mabel was looking back and waving to -him frantically, while her companion seemed to be trying to draw her -back. - -She was in peril! - -Instantly, Joe turned his car and tore away in pursuit. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -A CAD'S PUNISHMENT - - -The hotel at which Mabel had been stopping with the rest of the party -was in a quiet residential section not far from the suburbs, and Joe -had almost reached it at the time of the encounter. There was little -traffic here to interfere with the chase, and in a few minutes pursuer -and pursued had cleared the outskirts and were in the open country. - -Joe caught a glimpse of Fleming looking back and saw that the latter -knew he was being followed, a knowledge which was followed by a sudden -quickening in the pace of Fleming's car. - -It was, evidently, a powerful machine, and despite Joe's utmost efforts -the gap between the two cars kept constantly widening. - -Joe had had a good deal of experience in handling automobiles during his -big league career, and was a cool and skilful driver. But the utmost -exertion of his skill could avail little when he had an inferior car -pitted against one which greatly exceeded it in horse power. - -His heart was in his mouth as he saw how recklessly Fleming was -speeding. His car seemed to be on two wheels only as he took the curves -in the road. - -How Mabel came to be in that car was a question that could wait for an -answer till later. The only thing that mattered now was that she was -there with a man she dreaded and despised, and her frenzied waving told -Joe that she was in mortal fear and looked for him to help her. - -Jim sat perfectly still without saying a word. Nothing must distract Joe -for a second from that car and the view of the road ahead. He knew what -nerves of steel were back of the sinewy hand that clutched the wheel. He -had grasped the meaning of the chase, and he shared with his friend the -determination that the cad in the car ahead should pay dearly for this -escapade. - -Suddenly Joe gave an exultant cry. - -As they turned a curve, he saw that a railroad crossing lay ahead and -that the gates were down, while a long freight train was lumbering -leisurely by. - -Fleming could not get past till the gates were raised, and by that time -Joe would be upon him. - -There was no cross road between him and the track into which Fleming's -car could escape. His enemy was trapped. - -"You've got him, Joe!" exclaimed Jim, with a thrill of exultation in his -voice. - -"Yes," Joe gritted between his teeth. "I've got him." - -And his tone would not have reassured Beckworth Fleming. - -Fleming's car had halted and Fleming himself had jumped out and run -wildly to the gate, looking up the track to see if the train was nearly -by. He saw at a glance that it would not have passed before Joe would be -upon him. - -From the other side of the car, Mabel had leaped as soon as it had -stopped. She came running back up the road, and Joe, who had stopped, -rushed forward and took her in his arms. She was sobbing with fright and -excitement, and Joe held her close as he tried to soothe her. - -Fleming saw that the game was up and promptly darted off into the wood -at the side of the road. - -"After him, Jim!" cried Joe. "Don't let him get away!" - -Jim darted after the fugitive. Fleming put on all possible speed, but he -was no match for the seasoned athlete, and a moment later Jim's muscular -hand had him by the collar. - -"Let me go," snarled the wretch, struggling desperately. - -"Come along," growled Jim, dragging him to the spot in the road where -Joe was comforting Mabel, who was gradually getting back some of her -self-control. - -The tender look in Joe's eyes was replaced by one of a different -character as he looked at the flushed, dissipated face of the man who -stood before him, still held by Jim. - -"Now, Mr. Beckworth Fleming, I have an account to settle with you." - -Fleming shrank back as far as Jim's grip would let him before the steely -look in Joe's eyes. - -"Don't be afraid," said Joe, contemptuously. "I'm not going to thrash -you in the presence of a lady." - -Relief came into Fleming's face. - -"It was only a lark," he began, but Joe cut him short. - -"I don't care for any explanations," he said. "I want you to go down on -your knees in the road and beg Miss Varley's pardon." - -Fleming looked around for some means of escape but found none. His -furtive glance at Mabel fell before the scorn in her eyes. - -"I apologize," he jerked out sullenly. - -"Down on your knees, I said," remarked Joe with dangerous calmness. - -Fleming hesitated before this last humiliation, but Jim's knuckles in -his neck decided him. - -"I beg your pardon," he muttered, getting down on his knees and -scrambling again to his feet as hastily as possible. - -"And now, Jim," Joe continued, "if you'll just take Mabel up the road a -little way around that curve, I'll finish this little account with Mr. -Fleming." - -Fear sprang into Fleming's eyes. - -"You said you wouldn't," he began. - -"I said I wouldn't thrash you in the presence of a lady, and I'm going -to keep my word," said Joe, imperturbably. "Please, Jim." - -He relinquished Mabel to his friend, and Jim assumed the responsibility -with a cheerful grin. - -"Don't hurt him, Joe," Mabel urged, hesitatingly. - -"I won't kill him, Mabel," Joe answered. "I only want to impress a few -things on his memory so firmly that he'll never forget them." - -Jim gently urged Mabel out of sight beyond a curve two hundred feet away. - -When they had vanished, Joe turned to Fleming. - -"Take off your coat," he ordered curtly. - -"What are you going to do?" asked Fleming, fearfully. "I warn you that -if you hit me----" - -"Take off your coat," repeated Joe, setting him the example. - -As Fleming still hesitated, Joe reached over and slapped his face -lightly. - -"You seem to need a stimulant to get you going," he taunted. - -Even a rat will fight when cornered, and Fleming, with an exclamation of -rage, threw off his coat and rushed furiously at Joe. - -The latter met him with an uppercut that shook him from head to foot. -Then he sailed into Fleming and gave him a most thorough thrashing. Nor -did he let up until Fleming with a highly decorated face lay helpless in -the road, sobbing with shame and rage and whining for mercy. - -"I guess that's enough for the present," said Joe, who had not a mark on -him, as he resumed his coat. "You'd better get into that car of yours -and drive home before your eyes are entirely closed. And remember that -this isn't a circumstance to what you'll get if you ever dare to speak -to Miss Varley again." - -He turned his back upon the discomfited cad, and, jumping into the -runabout, drove around the curve where he rejoined Mabel and Jim. - -"Did you impress those things on his memory?" asked Jim with a grin. - -"I don't think he'll forget them in a hurry," Joe laughed, though rather -grimly. "And this time, luckily, there was no policeman handy." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -PLANNING FOR REVENGE - - -"I hope you didn't injure him too much, Joe," said Mabel, snuggling -close to him in the crowded little runabout. - -"Do I look like a murderer?" chaffed Joe. - -"But really, Joe, what did you do to him?" asked Mabel. - -"Less than the rascal deserved," Joe answered. "He got a good thrashing; -and it was surely coming to him. I don't think he'll ever trouble you -again." - -"I was so relieved when I caught sight of you in this car," sighed Mabel. - -"How did it happen that you were riding with him?" asked Joe, as he -threw on a little extra speed. - -"He was out at the Country Club when Reggie and I reached there," Mabel -replied. "I hadn't told Reggie how he had acted the last time he called -at the Marlborough, because I didn't want to make trouble, and I thought -after the way I cut him then he'd never bother me again. But he was -dining at the Country Club with a party of friends that we both knew, -and I couldn't make a scene without being conspicuous. I avoided him, -however, as much as I could. - -"You know, of course, Reggie's car is in New York and we were using -a hired machine. When we were getting ready to come away, I had just -stepped into the car when Reggie was called to the telephone. This man, -Fleming, was standing by, and before I knew it he jumped in, took the -wheel, and started the auto going. - -"I ordered him to stop, but he only kept going faster. He had been -drinking, and he was loud and boisterous. I begged and threatened, but -he only laughed and went on at a greater speed. Said he was going to get -even with me for the cut I had given him the other night, and was going -to take me on a long ride whether I wanted to go or not. - -"I never was so frightened in all my life. I told him that my friends -and my brother would punish him for what he was doing, but he only -laughed and said they would have to catch him first. I hoped a policeman -would stop us, for he was going at a furious rate. Then I thought of -jumping, though I knew I would probably be killed if I did. I screamed, -but we were going at such a rate and making so much noise that no one -heard me. Then I caught sight of you, and when I looked back and waved -and saw that you were coming after us, I knew that everything would be -all right. Oh, Joe, it seems as though you are always on hand when I -need you most." - -Her nerves had been so badly shaken that she was on the verge of tears -again, and she fumbled for her absurdly little handkerchief in the cuff -of her sleeve. - -Joe's heart thrilled, and if Jim had not been there and he could have -taken his hands from the wheel, he would have comforted her again as he -had on the road. - -"I'd have followed you to the end of the world," he said rather huskily. - -"How lucky it was that that freight train just happened to be passing at -the time," chuckled Jim. "Can't you imagine how desperate Fleming must -have been when he saw the way barred?" - -"It was a friend in need for us, all right," grinned Joe. "Fleming -wasn't quite tipsy enough to try to butt the train off the tracks." - -"He ought to sue the railroad for damages," Jim suggested. - -"He might get them, too," laughed Joe. "If a jury saw his face as it is -just now, they'd know that he'd been in a mix-up of some kind." - -They found Reggie in a state of great bewilderment and agitation at the -hotel. They had told him at the club that Fleming had driven off with -Mabel, and though he had not known of the latter's offensive behavior -toward his sister previously, he knew that Fleming had been drinking -that afternoon and was in no condition to handle a car. - -He was enormously relieved, therefore, when he saw Mabel return safely, -though he wondered to see her escorted by Joe and Jim. - -They told him all the circumstances and he was furious. He was for -starting out at once to hunt up Fleming, but Joe dissuaded him. - -"He's had a good trimming already," Joe assured him. "We don't want -anything that may bring notoriety to Mabel's name. I don't imagine we'll -ever be bothered by him again." - -In the meantime, Fleming, left battered and disheveled on the country -road, was wild with pain and rage. His heart was a tumult of seething -emotions. He had undergone that afternoon more humiliation than comes to -most men in a lifetime. He had been thwarted in his impudent venture. -He had been taken by the collar and shaken as a rat by a terrier. He -had had to get down on his knees in the dirt of the road and humbly -apologize. And then he had been bruised and beaten until he had begged -for mercy. - -He ground his teeth in unavailing fury. He had been accustomed all his -life to have his way. Money had made his path easy. He was not used to -the sensation of being the "under dog." - -He took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood and dust from his face, -brushed and adjusted his disarranged clothing as well as he could, then -climbed into the car and by a roundabout route made his way back to town. - -His first visit was to a Turkish bath where he attempted to have some -of the soreness rubbed from his battered frame. Then he visited one of -the facial artists who make a specialty of painting black eyes into some -semblance of flesh color. - -In this way he managed to efface the worst traces of the afternoon's -encounter, though his face still remained somewhat swelled and puffy. -Then he set out to make a night of it and drown his troubles in the way -with which he was the most familiar. - -He was seated at a table in a crowded cafe patronized chiefly by -gamblers, when he was accosted by a friend whose dissipated face showed -that he was of the same type as Fleming. - -"Hello, old man," said the former. "Drinking here all by your lonesome?" - -"How are you, Bixby," responded Fleming. "Sit down here and have -something with me." - -His friend did so and Fleming motioned to the waiter and ordered a -couple of drinks. - -"Why, what's the matter with your face, Fleming?" asked Bixby, as he -looked at his friend curiously. "Been in a scrap?" - -"Nothing like that," lied Fleming in a surly tone. "Ran a car into a -ditch and had an upset." - -"Doesn't improve your beauty any," laughed his friend lightly. "Still, -you can't kick if you've come out of a smash with nothing worse than -that. What are you doing here in Boston, anyway? Come over to see the -game?" - -Fleming growled a moody assent. - -"They say Matson is going to pitch to-morrow," Bixby continued. - -Fleming greeted the mention of the name with a lurid outburst that left -no doubt as to his feelings. - -His friend looked at him with surprise. - -"You seem to be horribly sore," he ventured. "I thought that like most -New Yorkers you'd be rooting for him to win." - -"I hope they knock him out of the box," Fleming hissed, with the venom -of a snake. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE PLOT - - -"There are lots of people in Boston hoping the same thing," replied -Bixby. "But I think they're due to be disappointed. It isn't often they -send that boy back to the shower." - -"He can be beaten like any one else," snarled Fleming, his gorge rising -as he heard Joe praised. - -"Sure," conceded Bixby. "The best of them have an off day at times. But -they say he's in splendid shape just now. That arm of his is certainly a -dandy." - -Fleming could have told him better than any one else just how good that -stalwart arm was. Not four hours had passed since he had tested its -strength. And he knew that it was good for something besides baseball. - -But not for the world would he have had that beating come to light. It -would make him the laughing stock of the clubs. He was sure that Joe -himself would not tell of it nor would Reggie, because of their desire -to prevent Mabel's name being dragged into the affair. So that his -secret was safe, unless he himself should reveal it while he was in his -cups. - -"He's a false alarm," he growled. "Lots of these fellows start out as -though they were going to set the league afire, but after a year or two -you find them back again in the minors. They go up like a rocket and -come down like the stick." - -"Well, if he's a false alarm, he's deceived a good many people," -answered Bixby with a diminished respect for his friend's judgment. "All -the dope is that he's going to be another Hughson." - -They drained their glasses and ordered more liquor. While they were -waiting for it to come, Bixby glanced around the cafe. His eye rested on -a table in the further corner of the room where three men were sitting. - -"Do you see that big fellow over there with the other two?" he asked -Fleming. - -"I see him," replied Fleming, shortly. - -"Well, that's Big Connelly the notorious Chicago sporting man," returned -Bixby. - -"Well, what if it is?" said Fleming, indifferently. - -"Oh, nothing special, except that he seems to feel a good deal the same -way about Matson that you do. I was sitting near him just before I came -over here to join you and he was grouching to beat the band." - -"Is that so!" ejaculated Fleming with a quickening of interest. "What -does he seem to have against him?" - -"Oh, that's more than I know," was the reply. "But he seems to have a -bitter grudge from the way he talks." - -"Do you know Connelly personally?" demanded Fleming. - -"In a way I do," replied Bixby. "I met him at a prize fight once in -Chicago and was introduced to him. I don't know whether he'd remember me -or not. But why do you ask?" - -"I'd like to meet him if you don't mind," answered Fleming. - -Bixby was somewhat surprised but did not object, and the two wended -their way among the tables till they came to the one in question. - -"How are you, Mr. Connelly?" said Bixby. "I don't know whether you -recall me, but I met you at that Welsh-Leonard bout in Chicago last -year. Bixby is my name." - -It was Connelly's business to recollect faces, or to pretend to even if -he did not. - -"Sure, I remember you," he replied with the real or assumed heartiness -of his class. "Glad to see you again, Mr. Bixby." - -"This is my friend, Mr. Fleming," introduced Bixby. - -Connelly's shrewd eyes appraised Fleming as one of the "idle rich," the -plucking of whom had often feathered his nest, and his greeting was -cordial. - -"Won't you sit down and have something with us?" he inquired, -introducing the two men who were with him and making room at the table. - -"We'd be glad to if we're not intruding," replied Bixby. - -"Not at all," said Connelly, and to seal the acquaintance he ordered a -bottle of champagne. - -It was not long before they were talking freely, and it goes without -saying that in the one engrossing thought that prevailed everywhere they -fell to discussing the World Series. - -Connelly--"Big" Connelly, to give him the name by which he was usually -referred to--was, as his name implied, a ponderous man with a hard, -smooth-shaven face and cold, calculating eyes. He was a hardened "sport" -and a shrewd politician, with strings out everywhere in the underworld -that he could pull when he felt so inclined. He was wholly unscrupulous -and stopped at nothing to achieve his ends. - -"I hear you're expecting Boston to win the Series, Mr. Connelly," -remarked Bixby. - -"I've picked 'em to win," agreed Connelly, "and I think they would to a -dead certainty if it weren't for one thing, or perhaps I ought to say -one man." - -"And that one man is Matson, I suppose?" put in Fleming. - -"Exactly," frowned Connelly. "With him out of the way it would be a -walk-over for the Sox." - -"You'd go into mourning if he broke a leg or anything like that," -grinned Bixby. - -"No such luck," grunted Connelly. "Nothing ever happens to that bird. He -must carry a horseshoe around with him. I came all the way from Chicago -to see Brennan's team win, only to see Matson smear a defeat on them. -But it isn't that I'm sore about especially." - -"Some little personal feeling, eh?" ventured Fleming, tentatively. - -"He turned me down on a little deal once," Connelly spat out viciously, -"and I've vowed to get even with him some time." - -He refrained from explaining that the "deal" referred to had been a -crooked bit of work that he had dared to suggest to Joe at the time the -latter was with St. Louis and the club was struggling to get to the head -of the second division. Not only had Joe rejected the proposition hard -and instantly, but Connelly had only saved his face from disfigurement -by beating a hasty and undignified retreat. From that moment he had -cherished a bitter grudge against the man who had humiliated him, and -this was intensified at the present by the young pitcher's popularity. - -"Yes, sir-ee," he grunted vindictively, "I'd give ten thousand dollars -to have Matson put on the shelf." - -"You could have him put out of the way for a good deal less than that," -suggested one of his companions, an evil-faced man named Moriarity. -"There are fellows in New York or Boston who would do it for a thousand." - -"Nix on that stuff," growled Connelly. "You could get away with a good -many things, but you couldn't get away with that. You might as well try -to do away with the President. Any one who puts the extinguisher on -Matson would go to the electric chair sure, and nothing could save him. -Even if he got off, the public would tear him to pieces. Forget it." - -Moriarity was squelched and shrank back before the big man's disapproval. - -"Just the same," ruminated Connelly, "I wish I could think of something -that didn't have any come-back." - -A thought suddenly came into Fleming's mind, but he hesitated to express -it in the presence of Bixby, who was an ardent partisan of the New -Yorks. He sat toying with his glass and turning the idea over in his -mind. - -It was a relief to him when Bixby rose a few minutes later and left -them on the ground of an engagement. Fleming hitched his chair a little -closer to Connelly's. - -"I've just thought of something that may help you out a little, Mr. -Connelly," he began. - -Connelly looked at him in curiosity. - -"Let's hear it," he said eagerly. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -WEAVING THE WEB - - -The four at the table put their heads together, and Fleming lowered his -voice so that he might not be overheard by those in the adjacent chairs. - -"Of course, I don't know whether we can make the thing work," commenced -Fleming a little diffidently, "but it won't do any harm to figure it out -and see what there is in it." - -"Sure thing," said Connelly, encouragingly. - -"As you say, it won't do to injure Matson physically," Fleming went on. -"Though nothing would suit me better," he added with sudden savageness, -as the stinging recollection of that afternoon's events came back to him. - -"I see that he isn't exactly popular with you," grinned Connelly. He -reflected that this man might be a valuable aid to him, if he nourished -a personal grudge. - -But it was not in Fleming's mind to betray himself, and he pulled up -short. - -"As I was saying," he continued, without replying to Connelly's -suggestion, "the public wouldn't stand for a minute for any rough work -with Matson. But we can injure him in other ways." - -"Just how?" asked Connelly. - -"Well," asked Fleming in turn, "what do you think is the most important -thing in the world to him just now?" - -"The World Series," replied Connelly, promptly. - -"Exactly," assented Fleming. "It means more to him just now than -anything else on earth. It means money and reputation and a big future -if he wins. Now if we could knock him out of winning, we could hit him -in his pride, his prestige and his pocketbook all at the same time, and -hit him hard." - -"No doubt of that," admitted Connelly, "but I don't see just yet what -you're driving at." - -"What I'm driving at is this," explained Fleming. "We've got, in some -way, to keep Matson from playing. You know as well as I do that he is -the mainstay of the Giant team. That's especially the case since Hughson -was hurt. Matson's the only reliable pitcher they have left. Markwith is -as wild as a hawk and may go up in the air at any time. Barclay has the -stuff, but he's green and inexperienced. - -"The Red Sox now have won two games to the Giants' one. The New Yorks -must take three more to win the Series. They're counting on Matson to -pull out two of them at least, perhaps all three. I tell you he's the -king pin in the Giant machine just now, and without him the whole team -would go to pieces." - -"I see your point all right," said Connelly, "but with the rough -stuff barred I don't exactly see how we are going to keep Matson from -playing." He pondered the problem for a moment with knitted brows. Then -suddenly an idea came to him, and he brought his fist down on the table -with a resounding thump. "Great Scott!" he cried. "I believe I've got -the very thing!" - -"Let's have it," demanded Fleming, eagerly. - -"There's a pal of mine in this burg," explained Connelly, "that's having -all sorts of trouble with a nephew of his that's going to the dogs as -fast as he can. The boy has put over one or two phony checks already -that my friend has had to settle for to keep the kid out of jail. - -"My pal has the idea that if the boy could be shipped out of the country -for a long voyage it would get him away from the gang he's running with -and might put him in the way of keeping straight. He was talking to me -about it only yesterday and I promised to help him carry it through. - -"You see, I happen to know an old sea captain who's loading up now at -a Boston wharf for a trip to South America. He's a tough old nut, and -he'll do almost anything for me, especially if a little money is slipped -to him to sweeten the job. I was going to propose to him to have this -kid I'm telling you about bundled on board and carried away with him. -But that matter can wait. Now suppose we're able to get Matson on board -in place of the other fellow." - -"Great!" cried Fleming excitedly. - -"It's too hot and crowded in here," declared Connelly, rising. "Let's -get out somewhere and fix up the details." - -He dismissed his henchmen, and he and Fleming strolled down the street -till they came to the Common. They chose a seat in a remote part, and -began to figure out how they could carry their plan to success. - -"It's too bad that it's too late to put the thing through to-night," -regretted Connelly. "I'd like to put him on the blink for to-morrow's -game." - -"We can't do that of course," replied Fleming. "But even if he wins -to-morrow's game, that will only even up the Series. There'll have to be -at least two more games played and maybe three. We'll get him then." - -"I'll go down and see the captain the first thing in the morning," said -Connelly. "I'm sure he'll fall in with it all right. Then the only thing -that remains to be done is to get Matson within his reach without -rousing suspicion." - -"But that's a mighty big thing," returned Fleming doubtfully. - -"What time does their train for New York leave to-morrow night?" asked -Connelly. - -"Somewhere between eleven and twelve, I believe," answered Fleming. - -"That'll give us all the time we want," declared Connelly confidently. -"Now listen to me." - -"Not quite so loud," admonished Fleming, looking around him nervously. - -The conspirators lowered their voices and talked earnestly. It was -nearly midnight when they parted. - -The next morning dawned brightly and there was every promise of a -glorious day. - -"How are you feeling, Joe?" asked Jim, as the chums were getting ready -to go down to breakfast. - -"Fine and dandy and full of pitching," replied Joe blithely. - -"That sounds good," rejoiced Jim. "Didn't sprain your arm on Fleming -yesterday?" he inquired with a grin. - -"Not so that you could notice it," laughed Joe. "In fact it was just the -exercise I needed. It made up for having no other practice, kept me from -going stale, as it were." - -"It took real friendship to stay around that curve when I was fairly -aching to see you do that fellow up," declared Jim. - -"I'll do as much for you some time," Joe consoled him. - -They had barely finished their meal when word was brought to Joe that -there was somebody waiting in the lobby to see him. - -He went out promptly and was surprised and pleased to find Mr. Anderson, -the old G. A. R. man who had been knocked down by the automobile on the -Long Island road. - -They shook hands heartily. - -"I'm mighty glad to see you!" exclaimed Joe. "I didn't expect you'd be -able to get back to Boston so soon. Those Islip doctors must have been -right on the job." - -"They fixed me up fine," agreed Louis Anderson. "Everybody's been mighty -good and kind to me since I was hurt. You especially, Mr. Matson. I want -to thank you for the money you left for me with the doctors, and which -they handed to me when I was coming away." - -"Oh, that's all right," said Joe, "and half of that was from Mr. -Barclay, the young man who was with me. Here he comes now," he added, as -Jim sauntered out of the dining room and joined them. - -He greeted the old man heartily, who thanked him also for his kindness. -Jim waved it away as a trifle. - -"Found out anything yet as to who those fellows were that ran you down?" -he inquired. - -"Not a thing," said the old man sadly. "I only wish I could. I'd make -them pay for what they did to me." - -"And we'd be witnesses for you," declared Joe warmly. "It was one of the -most brutal things I ever saw." - -"They ought to be made to pay up handsomely," added Jim, "and they'd be -mighty lucky to get off with that." - -"I'm afraid there isn't much chance of ever finding them," the old -man said. "But it wasn't that I came to see you especially about this -morning, Mr. Matson. I heard something last night that I think you ought -to know." - -"Is that so?" asked Joe pleasantly. "What is it?" - -"I was on the Common last night," Anderson replied. "It was so close and -hot that I couldn't sleep, and I thought it might do me good to get the -air. I sat down at the foot of a big tree and I guess I must have gone -to sleep. I was waked up by hearing voices and found that two men were -sitting on a bench the other side of the tree. - -"I didn't pay much attention till I heard one of them mention your name. -Even then I thought they were talking about baseball. But then I heard -one of them say mean things about you. I perked up then and I heard -enough to know that they were planning to harm you in some way." - -Both ball players were listening now with the utmost attention. - -"Did you hear them call each other by name?" asked Joe. - -"One of them spoke to the other as Mr. Fleming----" - -"Fleming!" interrupted Jim, as he shot a quick glance at Joe. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A STIRRING BATTLE - - -"Fleming's got busy in a hurry!" exclaimed Joe. "But just what was it -they were planning to do?" - -"That's just the trouble," answered Anderson. "I don't rightly know -just what mischief they were cooking up. They kept their voices pretty -low most of the time, and then, too, my hearing isn't any too good, -especially since I had that accident. Once I heard one of them say: -'It'll put him on the toboggan all right.' - -"I didn't dare to stir for fear they'd see me, or I'd have tried to edge -around the tree so as to get closer to them. But from the number of -times they spoke your name and the ugly way they did it, I was sure they -had it in for you. - -"I stayed there until they went away and the last thing one of them said -was: 'I'll set the thing going the first thing in the morning.' And the -other one said: 'It can't start too quick for me.'" - -"Did you see what kind of looking men they were?" asked Joe. - -"I peeked out at them as they were leaving, but all I could see was that -one of them was a big, heavy man and the other was slimmer and seemed to -have something the matter with his face. It was puffed up as though he -had the toothache." - -"Fleming, sure enough!" ejaculated Jim, grimly. - -"I guess I know how he got that toothache," Joe remarked grimly. - -"Why, is he any one you know?" inquired Anderson. - -"I'm pretty sure I do," replied Joe. "There aren't likely to be two men -named Fleming who want to do me up." - -"Do be careful now, Mr. Matson," the old man urged. "I can't bear to -think of anything happening to you after all that you have done for me." - -"I'll keep my eyes open," answered Joe. "And I can't thank you enough, -Mr. Anderson, for the trouble you've taken to come and tell me about -this." - -"It's little enough," answered Anderson. "I only wish I could do more. -But I know you must be pretty busy just now, with the big game coming -on, so I'll just jog along. Hope you have luck to-day, Mr. Matson." - -He said good-bye and went away. After he had gone the two friends -looked at each other very long and thoughtfully. - -"What do you make of it, Joe?" asked Jim at length. - -"Why, I hardly know," replied Baseball Joe, slowly. "I wish the old man -had been able to get something a little more definite. The only thing -that seems clear is that that snake is trying to make trouble for me. -But, pshaw! 'Threatened men live long,' you know, and I'm not going to -worry about it." - -But Jim was not inclined to dismiss the matter so lightly. - -"Do you think they might try anything like the drugged coffee game?" he -inquired. "Hartley got away with that once on you, and it might be done -again." - -"Not likely," answered Joe. "But what's the use of worrying? I'm going -to put it right out of my mind for the present. I've got to pitch this -afternoon and I'm not going to think of anything else." - -True to his nefarious promise, Connelly, at just about the same time -that morning, was having a private conversation with the captain of a -tramp ship that was lying at a wharf far down on the Boston harbor front. - -The tramp was a battered, rusty-looking old hooker that seemed to -be about as tough and disreputable looking as the skipper, who was -shouting orders to his crew when Connelly came on board. - -There was a mutual recognition. - -"How are you, Mr. Connelly?" the captain said, as he came forward to -greet the newcomer. "And what is it that's bringing you so far from -Chicago?" - -"How are you, Captain Hennessy?" returned Connelly, cordially grasping -the gnarled hand that was extended to him. "I happened to be in town on -business and I heard you were loading up here. How's the carrying trade -just now?" - -"None too good," replied the skipper. "What with freights 'way down and -the competition of the big liners, it's all we can do to make a living -these days. But come down to the cabin and wet your whistle. Talking's -dry business." - -Connelly needed no urging, and they were soon seated at a table in the -cramped cabin, with a bottle and glasses between them. - -They talked of indifferent matters for a time, and then Connelly -broached the object of his visit. - -"Where are you going this trip?" he asked. - -"Down the South American coast as far as Rio Janeiro," was the answer. -"Porto Rico will be my first stop." - -"And when do you expect to start?" - -"I may finish up loading to-day if I have luck," replied the skipper. -"If so, I'll get my clearance papers and slip out early to-morrow -morning." - -"I suppose you've done a bit of shanghaiing in your day, eh, Hennessy?" -remarked Connelly, jocularly. - -"Many's the time, especially in the old sailing days," grinned Hennessy, -a light of evil reminiscence in his little eyes. "But there's little -call for it nowadays." - -"I was just wondering," went on Connelly, "if you'd do me a favor and -take a fellow along with you on this trip that doesn't want to go." - -"It might be managed," returned the skipper a little doubtfully. - -"There'd be a nice little slice of money in it for you," Connelly -explained. "You see it's a young fellow that's got in with a wild gang -ashore, and his folks think a sea voyage wouldn't do him any harm." - -Hennessy's hesitation vanished at the mention of money and his eyes had -an avaricious gleam. - -"Sure I'll do it!" he exclaimed. And then, with voices slightly lowered, -the pair perfected their scheme. - -A little later Connelly left the ship and walked rapidly away with a -triumphant glint in his vulture-like eyes. - -He found his confederate waiting for him in the same cafe where they had -met the night before. Fleming jumped up from the table at which he had -been sitting and came rapidly forward to meet him. - -"Well?" he said eagerly. - -"It's all right," responded Connelly. "It didn't take much urging to -turn the trick. I told you he'd be only too glad to oblige me." - -He went over the events of the morning rapidly, and Fleming exulted. - -"So far, so good," he gloated. - -"But the hardest part is yet to come," Connelly reminded him. "We've -got the stage set for the play, and the next thing is to have the chief -actor on hand when the curtain rings up." And then the two talked the -matter over in detail. - -The enthusiasm at Braves Field that afternoon was at fever heat. The -Boston rooters turned out in the biggest crowd of the Series so far. The -last game their favorites had won filled them with confidence, and they -were out to cheer their pets on to another victory. - -Even the knowledge that Matson was to pitch for the Giants, which had -been featured in the morning papers, was not sufficient to daunt them. -They felt that luck was with the Red Sox, as had already been shown in -the accident to Hughson and the rain that had snatched the second game -from the New Yorks. And that luck, they felt sure, would persist. The -wish may have been father to the thought, but there was no doubt as to -the optimism that existed in the home town of the Red Sox. - -The Giants faced the test with quiet confidence. The odd game was -against them, but they looked forward serenely to evening up the score -that afternoon with Baseball Joe in the box. - -McRae had a little talk with his team in the clubhouse before they went -out for practice. - -"Go right in, boys, and eat them up," he exhorted them. "Those fellows -never saw the day they could beat you if you were doing your best. - -"They'll probably put in Roth against you. He's a good southpaw, but -southpaws are just your meat. Look out for that 'bean' ball of his. He's -sure to use it in trying to drive you away from the plate. But don't let -it rattle you for a minute. Be quick to dodge, though, for I don't want -to have any of you hurt at this stage of the Series. - -"And don't let Matson do it all. He can't carry the whole team on his -shoulders. No matter how well he pitches, he can't win unless you bat in -some runs. Hand him a few right from the start. - -"Little old New York is rooting for you to win, boys. Don't fall down -on the job. You'll own the city if you come back with a row of Boston -scalps at your belt. And I know you can do it if you try. Go in and -wallop the life out of 'em." - -There was a cheer which told McRae that his words had gotten "under the -skin," and the Giants dashed briskly out on the field. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -EVENING UP THE SCORE - - -When the gong rang, the Giants started out as though they were going to -sew up the game then and there. - -Burkett set the ball rolling with a wicked drive through the box that -got past Roth before he could gauge it. Larry followed suit with a -smoking hit to left. A prettily placed sacrifice bunt by Denton advanced -both men a base. Roth struck out Willis on three pitched balls, but -Becker came to the rescue with a line drive over second that scored -Burkett easily, though Larry was put out as he made a great slide for -the rubber. - -The net result was only one run, but the most encouraging feature of the -inning was the exhibition of free hitting. - -"Three clean hits in one time at bat is going some," Robson exulted. - -"The boys seem to have their batting clothes on for fair," responded -McRae, vastly pleased. - -"I doubt if that bird will come again for more," judged "Robbie." -"They'll probably take him out and put Fraser in." - -Joe was in fine fettle, and he showed his appreciation of the lead his -mates had given him by retiring the Red Sox without a man seeing first -base. - -Contrary to Robson's prediction, the Boston manager elected still to pin -his faith to Roth, who tightened up after his bad start and for the next -three innings held the Giants scoreless. - -He was helped in this by the superb support given him. Both the outfield -and infield were on their toes all the time, and drives that ordinarily -would have gone for hits were turned into outs in dazzling fashion. - -One magnificent catch by Thompson, the Red Sox catcher, was the feature -of the fourth inning. Iredell, who was at bat, sent up a sky-piercing -foul. Thompson, Hobbs and Roth started for it. - -"I've got it, I've got it!" yelled Thompson. - -The others stopped and Thompson kept on. - -The ball swerved toward the Boston dugout, where the substitutes and -extra pitchers of the team were sitting. - -A shout of warning went up, but Thompson did not falter. With his eye on -the ball and his hands outstretched, he plunged ahead. - -He grabbed the ball in a terrific forward lunge and went head over heels -into the dugout, where his comrades caught him and saved him from -injury. But he still clutched the ball as he was put on his feet, and a -tempest of applause went up in which even the Giants and their partisans -could not help joining. - -"Suffering cats!" exclaimed McRae. "That was a miracle catch." - -"Never saw a better one in all my years on the ball field," Robson -conceded generously. - -Thompson was forced to remove his cap again and again before the crowds -would stop their cheering, and the play put still greater stiffness into -the Boston's defence. - -But they needed something more than a stone wall defence. They had a -lead of one run to overcome, and at the rate Joe was mowing them down, -this seemed a tremendous obstacle. - -Joe had never felt in better form. He had superb control and had not yet -issued a pass. His mastery of the ball seemed almost uncanny. It seemed -to understand him and obeyed his slightest wish. - -His speed was dazzling, and the ball zipped over the plate as though -propelled by a gun. - -"Why don't you line it out?" growled the Boston manager, as one of his -players came back discomfited to the bench. - -"How can I hit 'em if I can't see 'em," the player grunted in excuse. - -But Joe did not rely wholly upon speed. Every once in a while he mixed -in a slow one that looked as big as a balloon as it sailed lazily toward -the plate. But when the batter almost broke his back in reaching for -it, the ball would drop suddenly beneath the bat and go plunk into the -catcher's mitt. - -"If I only dared to pitch that boy in all the remaining games of the -Series!" thought McRae to himself. "He's just making monkeys of those -fellows." - -For six full innings the score remained unchanged. - -Then the storm broke, and a perfect deluge of hits rained from the -Giants' bats. - -Becker began it by whaling out a terrific drive to center that netted -three bases. Iredell followed with a one cushion jolt between second and -short that scored Becker. Joe pumped one to center that was good for a -base; and on the futile throw made to third to catch Iredell, Joe by -fast running got as far as second. Mylert went out on an infield fly, -but the burly Burkett clouted a screaming triple to right, scoring both -of his mates while he rested, grinning, at third. - -Pandemonium broke loose among the Giant rooters. Roth, at a signal from -his manager, drew off his glove, and Landers took his place. - -But the Giants were on a batting spree and would not be denied. Larry -and Denton cracked out singles. Willis went out on a long fly to right, -but Curry pounded out a two-bagger that cleared the bases. A moment -later he was caught stealing third and the inning ended. - -It had netted the Giants six runs, and they were now in the lead by -seven to nothing. - -"Talk about a Waterloo!" shouted Jim, as he fairly hugged Joe in his -delight. - -"What do you think they're doing around the bulletin boards in New York -just now?" Joe laughed happily. - -He was about to pull on his glove to go into the box when McRae stopped -him. - -"I guess you've done enough for to-day, Joe," he said. "I want to save -that arm of yours all I can, and with the lead we've got now the game -seems to be cinched. I'm going to put Markwith in for the rest of it." - -Markwith had few superiors when it came to working for a few innings. -His arm was fresh, and his terrific speed carried him through, although -he was scored on once in the ninth. - -The Giants, "just for luck," added two more runs in the remaining -innings, and when they gathered up their bats at the end of the game the -score was nine to one in the Giants' favor. - -"This is the end of a perfect day," chanted Jim as the hilarious team -hurried from the field. - -"Not quite perfect," objected Larry with a grin. - -"Why, what more do you want, you old glutton?" put in Willis. - -"I'd like to have made it a goose egg for the Sox," responded Larry. - -"Some folks never know when they have enough," remarked Joe. "I'm -not kicking a single bit. That was mighty sweet hitting the boys did -to-day," he added. - -"And mighty sweet pitching, too," returned Larry. "Don't forget that." - -The train did not leave until 11:30 P. M.; so that they had ample time -for leisurely preparation. Joe and Jim dined with their party, who -were quite as joyous over the result of the game as themselves. After -dinner the young men took a quiet little stroll with Mabel and Clara and -returned about nine. - -The girls had left them to make ready for their trip, when Joe was -summoned to the telephone. - -"Hello, Joe," came over the wire. "This is McRae talking." - -"Why, hello, Mac," Joe answered. "I didn't recognize your voice at -first." - -"The connection isn't very good, I guess," was the answer. "But listen, -Joe. I want you to do me a favor." - -"Sure thing," replied Joe promptly. "What is it?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -A HOLE IN THE WEB - - -"It's like this," came the response. "I'm making a call on an old -yachting friend of mine whom I always drop in to see when I'm in Boston. -He's a thirty-third degree fan, but he's laid up with rheumatism and -can't get to the games. I've been bragging to him what a pitcher you -are, and he wants to meet you. Would you mind running down just for a -few minutes? It won't take you long." - -"Of course I will," answered Joe. "Where are you and just how can I get -to you?" - -"His yacht is lying off Spring Street wharf. He'll have a motor boat -there to meet you and bring you over. A taxi will bring you to the wharf -in ten minutes." - -"I'll be there," said Joe. - -"That's bully. Good-bye." - -"Good-bye." - -Joe hung up the receiver and looked around for Jim to leave a message -with him explaining his short absence. But Barclay was not in sight -at the moment, and Joe hastily put on his hat, dashed out, hailed a -taxicab, and a moment later was being whizzed uptown. - -Not more than ten minutes had passed before the cab drew up at the end -of the pier, which at that time was almost deserted. - -"Here you are, sir," announced the driver. - -Joe stepped out and paid him. - -A large motor boat lay at the pier. As Joe looked around, a man stepped -forward. - -"This Mr. Matson, sir?" he questioned respectfully. - -"Yes," answered Joe. - -"Mr. McRae told us to wait for you here, sir. The yacht's lying a little -way out. Will you step on board, sir?" - -Joe stepped into the boat, the moorings were cast off, and to the "chug -chug" of the engine the boat darted out on the dark waters of the bay. - -Joe took his seat on a padded cushion at the stern, noticing as he did -so that there were several husky figures sprawling up near the bow. - -The cool night air was very grateful after the heat of the day, and Joe -took off his straw hat, so as to get the full benefit of the breeze. - -Several minutes passed, and Joe began to wonder that they had not -reached the yacht where McRae was waiting for him. - -"How far out did you say the yacht was?" he asked casually of the man -who was steering. - -The man grunted, but made no intelligible reply. - -"I asked you how far out the yacht was," Joe repeated, a vague -uneasiness beginning to take possession of him. - -At this, a huge figure detached itself from the group forward and -came toward him. It was Hennessy, a sour and evil smile upon his -weather-beaten face. - -"I never heard the old hooker called a yacht before," he grinned, "but -if you must know, it's quite a tidy way down the bay before we come to -it." - -"Why, Mr. McRae said it was lying just off the wharf!" exclaimed Joe. - -"Perhaps Mr. McRae says more than his prayers," was Hennessy's surly -reply. - -The words, with all they implied, struck Joe with the force of a blow. -Like a flash, the warning of Louis Anderson that morning came to his -mind. - -"Look here!" he cried, starting to his feet. "What does this mean? What -game are you up to?" - -"You'll find out soon enough, my bucko," answered Hennessy. "In the -meantime you'd better take my tip and keep a civil tongue in your head. -My temper's rather short, as those who have sailed with me can tell you." - -"Don't threaten me!" warned Joe, all his fighting blood coming to the -surface. - -At his menacing attitude, the men in front rose to their feet and moved -forward. There were three of them, which made the combined force five in -number, counting Hennessy and the man at the wheel. - -Joe cast a swift glance around. There were no boats near at hand which -could be reached by a shout. Nor did he have a ghost of a chance against -the husky figures standing about him. For the moment the advantage was -with the enemy. - -An agony of self-reproach overwhelmed him. Why had he so lightly taken -it for granted that it was McRae at the telephone? Why had he let the -warning of Anderson slip from his mind? - -He had fallen into a trap! Where were they taking him? What was their -object? He thought of Mabel and his family. Into what dread and -consternation they would be plunged by his disappearance! And his -comrades on the team! What would they think of him? - -Hennessy had been watching him keenly. - -"Easy does it," he remarked. "If you want a rough house you can have it, -but take a fool's advice and don't go to starting it. We're too many for -you." - -There was sound sense in the advice, unpalatable as it was, and Joe -recognized it. He must temporize. He wanted to dash his fist into the -ugly face before him, and he promised himself that luxury later on. But -just now he must depend on that nimble wit of his that had so often -helped him to outguess an opponent. - -He sank back in his seat with an affected resignation that was -calculated to put his enemy off guard. It did so in the present case, -as Hennessy chose to consider the action as a surrender. - -"Now you're acting sensible," he grunted. "There ain't no use butting -your head against a stone wall." - -"Where are you taking me?" asked Joe in a lifeless tone. - -"I don't know as there's any harm in telling you, now that we've got so -far," Hennessy answered. "I'm taking you on board my ship, the _Walrus_." - -"What for?" - -"Just to give you a little sea air," grinned Hennessy. "Your folks -thought it would do you good to take a short v'yage down the coast." - -"Down the coast?" - -"South American coast," replied the captain shortly. "You're on your way -to Rio Janeiro." - -Rio Janeiro! Joe's heart thumped violently. - -"You say my folks are in on this," he said, trying to keep his voice -calm. "Just what do you mean by that?" - -"Oh, I've heard all about that gang you're running with and those phony -checks, and the like of that," answered Hennessy. - -"Phony checks?" gasped Joe. - -"Don't be playing innocent," growled Hennessy roughly. "You know well -enough what I mean." - -"But you've got the wrong man," persisted Joe. "I don't know what you're -talking about. I never ran with a gang or handled bad checks. You've -picked me up, thinking I was somebody else. I'm a baseball player, a -member of the New York Giants." - -"They told me you'd probably say something like that," retorted Hennessy -placidly. "But you can't pull any wool over my eyes. I'm too old a hand -for that." - -The man was obdurate, and Joe ceased his useless efforts to convince -him. But he knew now that his case was desperate, and he summoned all -his coolness to cope with the situation. One project after another raced -through his brain, to be dismissed as useless. - -While they had been talking, the motor boat had made rapid progress. But -now a heavy haze was settling over the water and the engine slowed down -a little. - -"Look out, you swab!" shouted Hennessy angrily to the steersman as the -end of a pier loomed up before them. "Do you want to smash the boat?" - -The man veered off. But in that instant Joe had acted. - -His fist shot out, knocking Hennessy off his seat. Like lightning, Joe -jumped on the rail and leaped for the pier, six feet distant. - -[Illustration: JOE JUMPED ON THE RAIL AND LEAPED FOR THE PIER, SIX FEET -DISTANT.] - -It was a long jump from an unstable footing, but Joe made it and -clutched one of the spiles. It was slimy and slippery, but he held on -with all the strength of his trained muscles. His feet, swinging wildly -about, touched the rung of a ladder. In another moment he swarmed up it, -and stood panting and breathless on the wharf. - -"Back her! Back her!" screamed Hennessy from the fog. "Don't let him get -away!" - -Joe chuckled, as he heard the wild splashing of the water and the -pounding of the screw. - -"Good-bye, Captain!" he sang out. "Hope I didn't spoil your beauty. Give -my regards to Rio Janeiro." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -TAKING THE LEAD - - -Baseball Joe wasted little time in reaching the end of the pier. He -hailed a cab at the first thoroughfare he came to and was soon once more -at the hotel. - -He found his party ready to start and wondering where he had gone. - -"Where on earth have you been, Joe?" asked Mabel. "We were beginning to -get worried about you." - -"Oh, I was just called away by a telephone message," Joe parried. - -He had no desire to let the women of the little group know that he was -being made the victim of any hostile machinations. They would have -magnified the danger and worried without ceasing. - -"Well, it's all right as long as you are here now," Mabel said brightly, -flashing Joe one of the dazzling smiles that always made his heart beat -more quickly. - -There had been a tenderer note in her voice ever since he had rescued -her from the reckless ride on which Fleming had taken her. She blushed -when she remembered how she had taken refuge in his arms in her first -paroxysms of relief. It had been instinctive, and she had fled to them -as naturally as she would have gone to those of her brother in similar -circumstances. How strongly those arms had held her and how absolutely -safe they had made her feel! - -Barclay had been looking curiously at Joe ever since the latter had -returned. He had been more alarmed than he would have cared to confess -by his unexplained absence. Knowing his chum so well, he could see that -even now he was laboring under repressed excitement. But his chance -for an explanation did not come until some time later. It was only -after they had bestowed their charges in their Pullman car and had said -good-night and had gone forward to the car in which the Giants were -quartered, that Jim was able to relieve his impatience. - -"Come on now, old man, and tell me all about it," he demanded. - -"All about what?" - -"You know well enough. Quit your stalling and come across with the -story. Where did you go? Who called you up? Get it off your chest." - -Joe readily complied. There was very little he ever kept from Jim, and -just now he felt especially the need of a confidant. - -Jim listened with growing excitement and indignation. - -"The hounds!" he exclaimed hotly. - -"That doesn't begin to express it," said Joe. "It was about as dirty -a piece of business as I ever heard of. It's worthy of a reptile like -Fleming." - -"I'd like to have him here this minute," cried Jim. "I'd repeat the dose -you gave him yesterday." - -"What puzzles me is as to who was in cahoots with him," mused Joe. "He -couldn't have put a thing like that through alone. Think of the wires -that had to be pulled to carry out the plan." - -"I suppose the big fellow that Anderson heard talking with Fleming was -at the bottom of that," conjectured Jim. "It surely was smooth work." - -"Oh, it was all prearranged carefully enough," agreed Joe. "There wasn't -anything left to chance." - -"It was pretty slick, using McRae's name to get you there, too," -commented Jim. "They knew you'd do anything he asked that was -reasonable. What beats me is how they could counterfeit his voice so -that you were taken in by it." - -"Well, you know how it is," Joe replied. "When any one at the telephone -gives you his name you take it for granted. It sounded a little strange, -but it was a pretty good imitation at that. Probably they've rung in -some actor who's accustomed to mimic voices. He could easily have hung -around the hotel and listened to Mac talking, till he got a pretty good -line on his voice. Where I blame myself is that I hadn't kept Anderson's -warning in mind. But I was thinking of other things----" - -"Yes," interrupted Jim dryly. "You'd just been walking with a charming -young lady. I understand." - -He grinned quizzically, and Joe made a friendly thrust toward him which -he adroitly ducked. - -"Well, 'all's well that ends well,'" Joe quoted. - -"If it _is_ ended," said Jim seriously. "They may cook up something -else, now that this has failed." - -"I guess they've shot their bolt," replied Joe lightly. "This will -probably discourage them, and they'll give it up. But it gives me the -cold shivers to think how nearly they put this scheme of theirs across." - -"It was just touch and go," agreed Jim. "You did some mighty quick -thinking, old man," he added admiringly. - -"It was a case of must," answered Joe. "I just had to think quickly, or -it would have been all up." - -"By the way, are you going to say anything to McRae about this?" - -"What's the use?" returned Joe. "There's nothing he could do. It would -only worry him and make him hopping mad, and he's got enough on his mind -as it is. Besides, I couldn't tell him the whole story without bringing -Mabel's name into it, and I'd rather cut off my hand than do that." - -Just at that moment McRae came through the car. He was in high spirits, -and greeted them cordially as he sat down by them. - -"Wouldn't you boys better have your berths made up?" he inquired. "It's -getting pretty late and I want you to be in good shape for to-morrow. -We'll want that game badly, too. It isn't enough to have evened up. We -want to jump right out into the lead." - -"I suppose you're going to pitch Markwith to-morrow," said Joe, after -having signaled the porter and told him to prepare the berths. - -"I'm not sure yet," answered McRae thoughtfully. "He certainly pitched -pretty good ball in those last three innings to-day, and I'll see how he -warms up to-morrow before the game. But just at this present moment I'm -inclined to pitch Barclay." - -Jim's heart began to thump. He had not expected to figure in the Series, -except perhaps as a relief pitcher. It was his first year in the big -league and though he had shown some "crackerjack stuff," he was not -supposed to be seasoned enough to work a full game at such a critical -time. - -To tell the truth, he would not have had a chance of taking part if -it had not been for the accident to Hughson. McRae was famous for the -way he stuck to his veterans, and though he believed in "young blood," -he always took a long time in developing his new pitchers before he -would trust them in a game on which a great deal depended. Sometimes -he kept them on the bench for a year or two, absorbing "inside stuff" -and watching the older players before he considered them ripe for "a -killing." - -But he was hard put to it now to handle his crippled staff to the best -advantage. He did not dare to use Joe too often for fear of hurting -his effectiveness by overwork. Markwith was brilliant but unreliable. -Sometimes he would pitch superbly for the better part of a game. Then -all too often there would be a fatal inning when he would lose his -"stuff" entirely, and before he could be replaced the game would have -gone to pieces. - -"I may pitch Jim to-morrow," McRae went on reflectively. "If he wins, -we will have the edge on the Sox, and I can take a chance on Red for -Friday's game. Then I'll have you, Joe, to put the kibosh on them in the -final game on Saturday. - -"But if Jim loses to-morrow the Sox will have three games tucked away -and only need one more. In that case, Joe, I'm going to pitch you -Friday to even up and Saturday to win. Think you can stand two games in -succession and win out?" - -"I'd work my head off to do it," replied Joe earnestly. - -"It'll put a big strain on your head and arm too," said the manager, -"but you'll have all winter to rest up in afterwards, and we may have to -chance it." - -He chatted with them a minute or two longer, and then, as the berth had -been made up, he left them. - -"Gee whiz, Joe!" ejaculated Jim, as he crept into the upper berth, his -teeth chattering in his excitement. "To think of me pitching a game in -the World Series before that whale of a crowd at the Polo Grounds!" - -"It's the chance of your life, Jim," responded Joe. "You're made as a -pitcher if you win. And you will win, too. I'm sure of it. You had those -fellows right on your staff in that inning or two you pitched at Boston." - -"Well, here's hoping," murmured Jim, getting in between the sheets. "If -I don't, it won't be for lack of trying." - -It was, indeed, a "whale of a crowd" that greeted the Giants on their -victorious return. All New York was jubilant, and comments were rife -everywhere on the gameness of their pets in the fight they were making -against accident and hard luck. - -The team was cheered singly and collectively as they came on the field -and scattered for preliminary practice. McRae and Robson paid especial -attention to the warming up of the pitchers, for up to the last minute -the manager was undecided as to whom he should play. - -Both Jim and Markwith seemed to have plenty of "smoke" as they sent -their slants and benders over. But the older pitcher was inclined to -be wild, while Jim's control was all that could be asked. So with many -inner quakings McRae finally decided that Jim should do the twirling. - -The crowd was somewhat startled when they saw the young "second string" -pitcher going on the mound. They were well aware of McRae's predilection -for his old players, and they wondered at his willingness to-day to take -a chance. - -But whatever may have been their misgivings, there was nothing but the -heartiest applause for the youngster. If generous rooting and backing -would help him to win, he should have them. - -There was a host of Princeton men there, too, and they gave the old -college yell that Jim had heard so often when as an undergraduate he had -twirled for the Orange and Black. - -But, perhaps, if the truth were told, Jim's greatest incentive came from -the fact that Clara was watching him from a box in the upper stand, her -pretty face flushed and her bright eyes sparkling. It was astonishing -how much that young woman's approbation had come to mean to Jim in the -short time he had known her. - -He was a little nervous at the start, and Cooper, the first man up, drew -a base on balls. He was nipped a moment later, however, in an attempt to -steal, and with the bases again empty Jim fanned Berry and made Loomis -chop a grounder to Larry that resulted in an easy out at first. - -"Bully for you, old man!" cried Joe, encouragingly. "You got through -that inning finely. The first is usually the hardest because you're -finding your bearings. Besides, you've got rid of the head of their -batting order." - -Fraser was in the box for the Red Sox, and it looked at the start as -though he were going to prove fully as good as in the first game. For -four innings he turned back the New Yorks, who seemed to have lost all -the hitting ability they had shown the day before. - -"What's the matter with the boys?" growled McRae, uneasily. "It would -help Barclay a lot if they handed him something to go on." - -The New Yorks gave him that lead in the fifth. Denton and Willis -singled, and Denton scored when Cooper, the right fielder, lost Becker's -fly in the sun and it went for a double. Becker was forced at third on -Iredell's bouncer to Girdner, and both Willis and Iredell scored when -Berry made a wild throw of a sharp hit by Curry. - -This ended the scoring for the inning, but those three runs, in the -words of Robson, looked very "juicy." - -The lead, of course, was very gratifying to Jim. It seemed to put -him on "easy street." But at the same time it was dangerous, because -it was calculated to give him, perhaps, too much confidence. And -over-confidence was a perilous thing to indulge in when the Bostons -happened to be one's opponents. - -Jim waked up to this fact in the very next inning, when Walters -straightened out one of his incurves with a mighty wallop to the fence -on which he easily circled the bases. Two more hits sandwiched in with -a pass yielded one more run, and McRae began to look uneasy. A rattling -double play got Jim out of what had begun to look like a bad hole, and -the rally was choked off then and there. - -It had been a bad inning for him, but Jim was a thoroughbred, and he -braced. - -In the next three innings they only garnered four more hits, and of -these only two were "Simon pure." Loomis got a hit past Denton when the -latter was running to cover the base. Then Stock chopped one to the box -that took a puzzling bound and went for a single. Girdner lined out a -scorcher to center in the eighth and Walters sent one to the same place -in the final frame. But this was the sum total of their endeavors and -the Giants had no need of playing out their half of the ninth. - -It was a very creditable victory for the "kid" pitcher of the Giants. -Once more the New Yorks had the upper hand in the desperate fight for -the Series. Jim had won his spurs and could count hereafter on taking -his regular turn in the box. - -The roars of the crowd were like music in Jim's ears. Still more -grateful were the praise and congratulations from his comrades on the -team. But, perhaps, he treasured more than all the shy tribute that came -that evening from the lips of a remarkably pretty girl. - -"You were just splendid to-day, Mr. Barclay," said Clara, her eyes -shining brightly. "Just splendid!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -PLOTTING MISCHIEF - - -The feeling in Boston was in marked contrast to that in the metropolis, -when the news was flashed over the wires that for the second day in -succession the Red Sox had lost. - -To be sure they were by no means out of it, and a victory the next day -would leave the clubs even up. But the odds now were on the New York -side, especially as it was certain that Baseball Joe would pitch in one -of the games. - -The Red Sox stood in no particular fear of Markwith, although his -ability was freely recognized. Still he could be handled. But they had -the profoundest respect for Joe, not to say dread, and they had begun -to share the feeling that he had the game won when he appeared upon the -mound. - -Perhaps by none was this conviction felt more keenly than by two men -who sat at a table in a cafe. A groan had just arisen from a throng -surrounding the ticker and in that groan the two men read defeat. - -"That makes three games the Giants have won," growled Connelly. "One -more and the Series is theirs." - -"But they haven't won that other one yet," suggested Fleming, whose face -by this time had renewed more nearly its usual appearance, "and it's up -to us to see that they don't." - -"That sounds good," growled Connelly. "But so did our other plan sound -good. But you see what came of it." - -"It not only sounded good but it was good," replied Fleming. "You know -as well as I do that we only missed putting it over by an eyelash." - -"I haven't got over wondering yet how Matson slipped out of that net," -Connelly ruminated. "It seemed a dead open and shut certainty that we -had him." - -"He's a slippery customer," said Fleming, "but because we didn't get him -once doesn't say that we won't the next time. But whatever we do, we'll -have to do in a hurry. He's to be in Boston only one more day." - -"What was it you were telling me about that Hartley?" asked Connelly. - -"I don't know how much there may be in that," answered Fleming, -thoughtfully. "The fellow's fearfully sore on Matson for some reason -or other that I can't just make out. He'd like well enough to do him a -personal injury, too, if he could. - -"I got him away from the gang he was ranting to and had a little talk -with him. But I wouldn't dare trust him to do any rough work. He's half -full all the time; and then, too, I think he's a little crazy. He'd be -apt to spill the beans in anything he might undertake. - -"There's only one thing, though, in which he may be of some help to us. -He's on to the signals used by the Giant pitchers and he offered to give -them away. That might help some in a close game." - -"It might," reflected Connelly. "But it isn't sure enough. The pitchers -might tumble to the game and change their signals. Still, we'll use him, -on the off chance that it may help if we don't think of anything better." - -"The only sure way of beating Matson," observed Fleming, "is to see that -he doesn't go on the field at all." - -Connelly looked up quickly. - -"Nothing like that," he grunted. "I've told you already that I wouldn't -stand for any rough stuff. America wouldn't be big enough to hold a man -who'd do that." - -"Hold your horses," retorted Fleming. "Who's talking about injuring or -killing him? I'm no more anxious to go to the electric chair than you -are." - -"Well, what's the game then?" asked Connelly. - -"Here's the dope," answered Fleming. "You see by the score that Barclay -pitched for the New Yorks to-day?" - -"Yes," agreed Connelly. - -"That gives McRae a little margin to go on," continued Fleming. "He -could afford to lose to-morrow's game and still be even on the Series. -Then he'd still have Matson as his ace for Saturday's game in New York. - -"Now suppose it works out that way. Markwith pitches, we'll say, and -loses." - -"I'm listening," said Connelly. - -"Then the deciding game will be played on Saturday at the Polo Grounds. -The Giants will be before their home crowd. Matson goes in to pitch. -What's the answer?" - -"A victory for New York," replied Connelly, grinding his teeth. - -"Probably," agreed Fleming. "Now there's just one thing to be done. -When the Giant team leaves Boston to-morrow night for New York, _Matson -mustn't go with them_." - -He almost hissed the last words, all the venom he felt toward Joe -showing in his eyes. - -Connelly thumped the table with his ponderous fist. - -"You mean that he must be kidnapped?" he exclaimed. "You think we may -put it over better on land than we did on the water?" - -"That's rather an ugly word," warned Fleming, looking around to see that -they were not overheard, "and perhaps it would be better not to use it. -What I mean is that in some way he must be kept from taking the train -late Friday night or the early train Saturday morning. After that it -doesn't matter what he does. - -"You see," he went on, "there wouldn't be any come-back in a thing like -that. There'd be no need to hurt him. The whole thing would only cover -about twelve hours. After nine o'clock on Saturday morning he could be -set at liberty and be free as air. But he'd be in Boston and he couldn't -possibly get a train then that would land him in New York in time for -the game." - -"It might work," reflected Connelly. "It's worth trying, anyhow, unless -we think of something better. But it's going to take a good deal of neat -work to carry it through." - -"It will," admitted Fleming. "And it's going to be all the harder -because he'll probably be on his guard after what nearly happened to him -the other night. But I think it can be done. The first thing is to get -the services of half a dozen men that can be trusted to do just as they -are told. Do you know of such a bunch that you can lay your hands on?" - -"Moriarity does," replied Connelly, referring to the henchman whom -Fleming had been introduced to on the occasion of his first meeting -with Connelly. "He knows the tough side of Boston like a book. He could -get us just the gang we need in less than no time." - -"That's good," commented Fleming. "I'd get him busy at once." - -"Sure thing," confirmed Connelly. "And now let's get down to the fine -points. We don't want to have any slip up this time." - -What followed was almost in whispers. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -A RANDOM CLUE - - -Mr. Beckworth Fleming would, no doubt, have been interested in knowing -that while he was speaking of Joe in Boston the latter was discussing -him in New York. - -It was Reggie who had first brought in his name, as he stood with Joe -and Jim in the lobby of the Marlborough, waiting for the others of the -party to come down on the way to the train. - -"Funny thing happened to-day, don't you know," he remarked. "Fellow -sitting in the box next to me at the grounds got to talking about an -auto accident that happened on Long Island a little while ago." - -Joe and Jim pricked up their ears. - -"What did he say about it?" Joe asked eagerly. - -"Why, I heard him say that it was the wildest ride he had ever had, and -that he'd been wondering ever since how they got through it without -getting pinched. Said that half the time the car was going on two -wheels. Once they knocked down a man on the Merrick road, and they had -come near to smashing up a car they passed just before that." - -"That describes the accident to Anderson," broke in Jim. - -"Yes, and don't you remember how near they came to running into us just -before that?" added Joe. "But did you get any clue as to who the fellows -were?" - -"I didn't hear any full names," replied Reggie, "but several times the -man who was telling the story referred to the reckless driving of 'old -Beck,' whoever that might have been." - -"Beck, Beck," mused Jim. "That isn't much of a hint. The directory is -full of Becks." - -A thought suddenly came to Joe. - -"Fleming's first name is Beckworth, isn't it?" he asked Reggie. - -"Yes," replied Reggie. - -"And wouldn't it be natural for his cronies to speak of him as Beck?" -Joe went on. - -"Sure," said Reggie. "As a matter of fact, I've often heard them refer -to him in that way." - -"And he's known as a reckless driver, isn't he?" asked Joe, going back -in memory to the way in which Fleming had handled the car on that -memorable afternoon when he had rescued Mabel from his clutches. - -"Yes," Reggie responded. "In fact, he seems to take a sort of pride -in it. I've often heard him tell how often he had been arrested for -speeding." - -"It begins to look as though he might have been mixed up in that -Anderson affair," mused Jim. - -"Yes, but that's a mighty slender basis to go on," answered Joe. "Of -course he'd deny it, and we couldn't prove it if we had nothing to back -it up with." - -"By Jove!" exclaimed Reggie. "Now that you come to speak of it, I -remember catching sight of Fleming at the Long Beach Hotel when we were -dining there. He was sitting at a table in the further corner of the -room. I thought of going over to speak to him, but I noticed that he was -with a pretty noisy party, and as the girls were with us I passed it up." - -"Well, now, that's something more like proof!" exclaimed Joe, with -animation. "That brings him near the scene of the accident on the day it -happened. He's a reckless driver and his pals often spoke of him as 'old -Beck.' I believe he was the fellow that knocked the old man down." - -"It looks like it," agreed Jim, "and from what we've learned of the -fellow since, I think he's just the kind that would go on without trying -to help or stopping to see what he had done. But even now we haven't -anything that would convince a jury." - -"No," agreed Reggie. "Moral proof isn't legal proof by a long shot. The -one thing we need to clinch the matter is the number of the car that -held the party." - -"What a pity we didn't get it," fumed Joe. - -"We weren't to blame for that," replied Reggie. "They were going so -fast and raising such a cloud of dust that we couldn't see it. That is, -we didn't get it in full. Seems to me, though, that I heard you say -something, Joe, about some numbers that you caught sight of." - -"That's so," confirmed Jim. "What were they, Joe? Do you remember?" - -"There was a seven and a four," answered Joe. "But I couldn't be sure -that they were next to each other. There may have been another figure in -between. And anyway, as there were probably five or six figures in the -whole number, that isn't very much to go on." - -"I tell you what," cried Jim, eagerly. "Every car is registered in the -State Registry Bureau, isn't it?" - -"Yes," answered Reggie. "Mine is, I know. They put down the name of the -man when they give him his number." - -"Exactly!" returned Jim. "What's the matter then with our making -inquiries at the proper department and finding the number of the car -that is registered as owned by Beckworth Fleming?" - -"The very thing," assented Reggie. "But when we find it, what then?" - -"Nothing, perhaps," Jim admitted. "And then, on the other hand, it may -mean a great deal. Suppose, for instance, the number has a seven and a -four in it?" - -"That would certainly bring it much closer to Fleming," observed Joe, -thoughtfully, "and it would make us that much surer in our own minds -that he's the man in question. But it would still fall far short of -legal proof." - -"Bother legal proof!" snapped Jim. "The one point is that all these -things taken together would make us feel so sure that we were on the -right track that we'd feel justified in accusing Fleming to his face of -having done it." - -"I see!" exclaimed Joe, his eyes kindling. "You mean to put up a great -big bluff and try to catch him off his guard." - -"That's what," agreed Jim. "Trust to his guilty conscience. He knows -whether he did it or not, and he won't be sure how much we know. If we -act as if we were sure we have him dead to rights, he may give himself -away. Try to explain or excuse it and in that way admit it. At any rate, -it seems to me it might be worth trying. We can't lose and we may win." - -"By Jove!" exclaimed Reggie. "I believe it might work." - -"It's a dandy idea," approved Joe, warmly. - -"It would do me a whole lot of good to make him come across handsomely -to Anderson," said Jim. "The old man needs money badly, and Fleming -has a good deal more than is good for him. And he can consider himself -mighty lucky if he gets off with only a money payment." - -"Well, whatever we do in that line, we'll have to do right away," -remarked Joe. "To-morrow's the last day we'll be in Boston, and I'd like -to fix up the matter at once. Anderson we know is there and Fleming -probably will be, too." - -"I wish we'd known of this earlier," remarked Jim. "Of course all the -official departments are closed by this time." - -"Yes," said Joe, "but I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll ask Belden -here at the desk to look up the matter for us the first thing to-morrow -morning. He can find out the number and call me up on the long distance -'phone to Boston. We ought to know all about it as early as ten o'clock." - -"The very thing," said Jim. - -Joe went over to the hotel desk, where Belden, the night clerk, had just -come on duty. He was a warm admirer of Baseball Joe, and, like everybody -in New York just then, was happy to do anything he could for the famous -pitcher of the Giants. - -"Mr. Belden," Joe began, "I want to ask a favor of you." - -"Only too glad, Mr. Matson," replied the clerk, his face wreathed in -smiles. "What is it?" - -"I'd like you to call up the city office of the State Registry Bureau, -Broadway and Seventy-fourth Street, early in the morning," said Joe, -"and find out the number of the car owned by a Mr. Beckworth Fleming. -Then I'd like to have you call me up on the long distance 'phone, of -course at my expense, and let me know what it is. If you'll do this for -me I'll be greatly obliged." - -The clerk made a note of the name and also of the hotel where Joe would -stay in Boston. - -"I'll do it without fail, Mr. Matson. You can depend upon me." - -Joe thanked him and returned to his party, which had now been joined by -Mr. and Mrs. Matson and the girls. A couple of taxicabs were pressed -into service, and they were carried to the Grand Central Terminal where -they embarked on the last trip that was to be made to Boston during the -Series. - -"What with the game to-morrow and perhaps this Fleming matter on our -program, I imagine we're going to have our hands full," Jim remarked in -an aside to his friend. - -"Yes," laughed Joe, "it looks like a busy day." - -But just how busy a day it was destined to be it would have startled him -to learn. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -A BLUFF THAT WORKED - - -Every member of Baseball Joe's little party had by this time become -thoroughly acquainted with every other, and they formed a very congenial -group. - -Mr. and Mrs. Matson, as Joe had predicted when he had sent on for them -to come, were having the time of their lives. The great world had opened -up its treasures for them after the long years they had spent in their -quiet village, and they were enjoying it to the full. And their delight -in the new vista opened up was, of course, immeasurably increased by -their pride in Joe and his achievements so far in the World Series. - -Mabel, too, had taken them right into her heart and had won their -affection from the start. They could easily see how things stood with -her and Joe and were eagerly ready to welcome her into a closer relation. - -Reggie was full of life and good-nature, and his knowledge of city life -made him invaluable as a guide and companion. As for Clara, she was in -a perpetual flutter of happiness. Was she not with her idolized brother? -Was she not tasting the delights of a broader life that she had often -read of and longed for but scarcely dreamed of seeing? And had not that -handsome Mr. Barclay shown himself a devoted and perfect cavalier? Could -any girl barely out of her teens possibly ask for more? - -So it was a happy party that laughed and chatted as the train sped -through the night toward Boston. - -"Our last trip to Boston, for a while at least," smiled Mabel. - -"I wonder whether the Series will be settled there or at the Polo -Grounds," remarked Clara. "It would be glorious if when we come back -to-morrow night the Giants should have won the Series." - -"Well, we have two chances to the Bostons' one, anyway," observed Jim. -"They _must_ win to-morrow or they're goners. We can lose to-morrow and -still have a chance." - -"A chance!" objected Clara. "You ought to say a certainty." - -"I've learned already that there's nothing certain in baseball," laughed -Jim. - -"But Joe will be pitching that last game," returned Clara, as though -that settled the question. - -Joe laughed. - -"I wish I could make the Red Sox feel as sure of that as you do, Sis. If -they did, they'd quit right at the start." - -"Well, they might as well, anyway," declared Clara, with assured -conviction. - -"What is this I see in the paper about a tour of the world after the -Series is over?" asked Mr. Matson. - -"Why, there's nothing very definite as yet," answered Joe. "McRae has -been giving some thought to the matter, I believe. If we win the Series, -we could go with the prestige of being the champions of the world, which -would be a big advertisement. Mac could easily get up another team -composed of crack players which could be called the All National or the -All America Nine. Then the two teams could travel together and give -exhibition games in most of the big cities of the world." - -"Would there be much money in it?" asked Reggie. - -"Oh, probably not so much, after all the expenses were taken out," Joe -answered. "Possibly there might be a thousand dollars for each player. -Some of the trips have panned out as much as that." - -"Then this isn't entirely a new idea," remarked Joe's father. - -"Oh, no," replied his son. "It's been done before. The boys have always -drawn big crowds and aroused a good deal of interest." - -"And they'd do that to-day more than ever," put in Jim. "Baseball is no -longer simply an American game but a world game. You'll find crack teams -even in Japan and China." - -"It would be a wonderful experience," remarked Reggie. - -"You bet it would!" exclaimed Joe, enthusiastically. "Think of playing -ball in sight of the Pyramids! We'd take in all the great cities of Asia -and Europe and some in Africa. It would be a liberal education. And -instead of spending money in making a tour of the world, we'd be paid -for taking it." - -"Rather soft, I call it," laughed Jim. - -"How long would the party be gone?" asked gentle Mrs. Matson, who was -somewhat alarmed by the prospect of her boy being separated from her by -the width of the globe. - -"Oh, not more than five months or so," Joe replied. "The boys couldn't -very well get started much before the first of November, and they'd have -to be back for spring training." - -"They won't need much training, I imagine," remarked Jim. "They'll have -been playing while the other fellows have been loafing. They ought to be -in first class shape to begin the season." - -"Of course," observed Joe; "it isn't a dead sure thing that we'll go, -even if we win the Series. And if we lose, it's dollars to doughnuts -that Mac will call the whole thing off." - -It was getting rather late, and Joe and Jim said good-night to the -others and sought their berths. - -They were up and abroad earlier than usual the next morning, for the -matter of the automobile accident promised to engross all the time they -could spare from the game. - -Reggie was able to find out for them the place at which Fleming was -putting up in Boston. Having ascertained from the clerk that he was -still staying there, the next thing was to get hold of Louis Anderson. - -Jim hurried up to the address the old man had given them. It was in a -humble neighborhood, but the three rooms in which Anderson and his wife -were living were neat and clean. - -Jim did not want to raise false hopes, in the light of the imperfect -information he had. So he told Anderson that he thought he had a clue, -though he was not at all sure, as to the men who had run him down. - -"Do you think you would be able to recognize the man who was driving, if -you should see him?" Jim inquired. - -"I'm sure I could," answered Anderson. "He was on the side nearest me -and I got a good look at his face just as the car bore down on me." - -"That's good," replied Jim. "Now if you'll get ready and jump in with -me, we'll go down to where Mr. Matson is." - -The old man complied eagerly, and they were soon on their way down town. - -Joe, in the meantime, had hovered in the vicinity of the telephone, -waiting impatiently for the long distance call. - -Shortly after nine o'clock it came. - -"Is this Mr. Matson?" the voice inquired. "Good morning, Mr. Matson. -This is Belden talking. I called up just now at the registry office -and found that the number of Mr. Beckworth Fleming's car is 36754. Did -you get that? 3-6-7-5-4. Yes, that's it. Not at all, Mr. Matson. Don't -mention it. Glad to be of service. Hope you win to-day. Good-bye." - -Joe stared at the number that he had jotted down as Belden had called it -off. 36754. There were the two figures, 7 and 4, the 7 coming first as -he remembered. - -It was not proof. But it was corroboration, enough, anyway, to justify -the audacious bluff that he had in mind. - -Jim returned shortly afterward with Louis Anderson, who greeted Joe, -gratefully. - -"It's an awful lot of trouble you two young men are putting yourselves -to for me," he declared in a grateful voice. - -"That's all right," returned Joe. "It was a dastardly thing that was -done to you, and the man who did it has got to pay for it if we can make -him. But you mustn't build your hopes too high. We've only probabilities -to go on instead of certainties." - -They stepped into the taxicab which Jim had retained, and were soon at -the Albemarle where Fleming was stopping. - -"Suppose he refuses to receive us when the clerk sends up your card," -asked Jim. "You can't very well force your way into his rooms." - -"There isn't going to be any card," replied Joe. "Reggie gave me the -number of his suite and we'll just go up in the elevator without being -announced." - -"But he may slam the door in your face when he sees who it is," Jim -remarked. - -"I've got a pretty capable foot," grinned Joe, "and I guess I can keep -the door from being shut." - -They got off at the fourth floor and walked along the corridor till they -reached the number for which they were looking. - -Fleming was already engaged with a visitor. He and Big Connelly were in -earnest conversation when Joe rapped on the door. Fleming looked up with -some irritation at being interrupted. - -"What does that clerk mean by not announcing a caller?" he growled. - -"I'll just step into the bedroom while you see who it is," said -Connelly, tiptoeing into the adjoining room. - -Fleming went to the door and opened it. He started back in surprise -and alarm when he saw Joe's face. Then with a snarl he started to slam -the door, but Joe thrust his foot between the door and the jamb. Then -he gave a push with his brawny shoulder and the next moment he and his -companions were in the room. Jim coolly shut the door and stood with his -back to it. - -"What does this mean?" shouted Fleming, almost stuttering with rage. -"Get out of here this minute or I'll have you thrown out." - -"No, you won't," replied Joe, coolly. "I've got a little business with -you, Fleming, and I don't go out till it's finished." - -Before the cold gleam in his eye, Fleming shrank back. - -"If you attempt any violence----" he began in a voice that trembled. - -"There isn't going to be any violence unless you make it necessary," Joe -interrupted. "Though I ought to give you another thrashing for that trap -you laid for me the other night." - -"I don't know what you mean," growled Fleming, sullenly. - -"Oh, yes you do. But we'll let that go. I came here this morning to tell -you that we've identified you as the driver of the car that ran this -man down on the Merrick Road and then went on without stopping to see -how badly he was hurt." - -The accusation was so sudden, so positive, so direct, that, as Joe had -hoped, it took Fleming fairly off his feet. He stood staring wildly at -the group, his face an image of guilt. Then he tried to rally. - -"It's false!" he shouted. "I didn't do anything of the kind." - -"No use of lying, Fleming," said Joe, coldly. "We've got the goods on -you." - -"He's the man!" cried Louis Anderson, excitedly. "He had a cap on then, -and his face was red, as though he was drunk, but he's the same man. I -could swear to him." - -"You're crazy," snarled Fleming. "I wasn't on Long Island that day." - -"Didn't you have dinner at the Long Beach Hotel that day, eh?" asked Joe. - -"N-no," Fleming denied, avoiding Joe's eyes. - -"Yes, you did," declared Joe, sternly. "And afterward you nearly crashed -into the machine I was in. I saw you hit this man. I looked for the -number on your car. The number of that car is 36754. Ever heard those -figures before, Fleming?" - -His eyes were like cold steel now and seemed to be boring Fleming -through and through. He seemed so sure of his facts, so unwavering and -relentless, that Fleming crumpled up. The arrow shot at a venture had -reached its mark. - -"It was the old fool's own fault," he growled, casting aside all further -pretence of denial. "If he hadn't run in front of the machine he -wouldn't have got hurt." - -"It wasn't so," cried Anderson. "You were swerving all over the road. -Your crowd was shouting and singing. You didn't blow your horn. You were -half drunk. And after you hit me you didn't stop." - -"We're his witnesses," said Joe. "And I don't think he'd have any -trouble in getting heavy damages from a jury." - -"Let him try it," snarled Fleming. "I've got more money than he has and -I'll fight the case through every court. He'll die of old age before he -ever gets a cent from me." - -"Oh, I don't think so," remarked Joe, carelessly. "I don't suppose you'd -care to go to jail now, would you, Fleming?" - -"It isn't a question of jail," replied Fleming. - -"Oh, yes it is," rejoined Joe. "You may not know that a law has been -passed making it a prison offense in New York State to run away after -knocking a man down with an auto and not stop to see what you can do for -him." - -"I don't believe it," said Fleming, going white. - -"I know what I'm talking about," answered Joe, in a voice that carried -conviction. "You'd better come to your senses, Fleming. We've got you -dead to rights. You ran this man down. You've admitted it. You ran away -without stopping. Half a dozen of us saw you do it. Nothing can save you -from going behind the bars if the matter is pressed. You'll do the right -thing by this man, or I'll see that you're arrested the minute you set -foot in New York." - -"What do you mean by the square thing?" asked Fleming, who now was -thoroughly wilted. - -"We're not unreasonable," said Joe. "You came within an ace of killing -this man. He had to go to a hospital. At his age he'll feel the effect -of the shock as long as he lives. It will probably shorten his life. A -jury under those circumstances would certainly give him several thousand -dollars. I think you ought to give him at least two thousand. Will that -be satisfactory, Mr. Anderson?" - -The old man nodded. - -Fleming reflected a moment. Then he nodded surlily. - -"I'll do it," he muttered. - -"And do it to-day, if you please," Joe went on smoothly. "I want to know -that this thing is settled before I go back to New York. Write down your -address, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Fleming or his lawyer will be up to see -you before night. And I'll run up myself before I leave, to see whether -it has been done." - -There was a threat in the last words that warned Fleming against any -attempt at evasion or delay. The latter agreed with a nod of his head. - -There was no pretence of a farewell that would have been mere hypocrisy -under the circumstances, and without a word Baseball Joe's party left -the room, while Fleming stared after them with baffled rage and hate in -his eyes. - -Once more in the taxicab, Anderson broke out with a flood of thanks that -Joe waved aside lightly. - -They drove around by way of his humble home and left him there, and then -went hurriedly down to their hotel. - -Left to themselves in the car, Jim and Joe looked for a long time -steadily at each other. Then Jim burst out into a roar. - -Joe grinned happily. - -"Joe," cried Jim when his paroxysms had subsided, "as a bluffer you're a -wonder, a real wonder!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -STEALING SIGNALS - - -Fleming sat in his chair, limp and sprawling, after the departure of the -trio who had burst in on him so unexpectedly. So swept and exhausted was -he by the tide of emotions aroused by their visit that he had forgotten -all about the presence of Connelly in the adjoining room, and only -became conscious of it when the fellow plumped himself down in the chair -beside him. - -"Some stormy session," he remarked, as he lighted a fat, black cigar. - -Fleming only growled in reply. - -"Don't wonder that you feel sore," Connelly commented. "They certainly -put the skids under you in great shape. That Matson is a bird and no -mistake." - -"I'll get even with him yet," Fleming broke out stormily. "I won't let -him crow over me. I won't pay that money." - -"Oh, yes, you will," returned Connelly, calmly. "He's got you where -the hair is short in that matter of the jail. It mightn't have been so -bad if you'd kept your nerve and denied everything. But he got you so -rattled that you admitted knocking that fellow down and then the gravy -was spilled." - -"What was the use of keeping it up?" queried Fleming. "He had the facts." - -"Maybe he did," admitted Connelly, doubtfully, "and then again he may -have had only some half facts and made a bluff at the rest. He's got -nerve enough to do it. I have to hand it to him. But now you have -admitted it, you'll have to pony up. What's a couple of thousand to you, -anyway?" - -"It isn't so much the money," Fleming muttered gloomily. "It's knowing -that he got it out of me and is probably laughing at me this minute." - -"Let him laugh," said Connelly, with the philosophy that it is so easy -to use where others are concerned. "We'll have our laugh later on. But -you want to get that money paid right away, because if we put over on -Matson what we're planning, he'll be so furious that he'll send you to -jail sure. But if the thing is settled, he'll be helpless. - -"Another thing, unless I'm very much mistaken, Matson himself has given -us a mighty valuable tip. He's put a spoke in his own wheel." - -"What do you mean?" asked Fleming. - -"Didn't you hear him say that he was going to run up to-night to that -old man's house to see whether you'd come across or not?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, where could we have a better chance for pulling off our little -game? It's probably a poor neighborhood with the lights none too good -and where a scrap wouldn't attract much attention because it's a common -thing. Moriarity and his bunch could be on hand and the rest would be as -easy as taking a dead mouse from a blind kitten." - -"By Jove, the very thing!" ejaculated Fleming, a look of malevolent -delight coming into his face. - -"Sure it is," chuckled Connelly. "I'll get word to Moriarity at once. -In the meantime, you'd better settle. Take in all you can of the -neighborhood while you're doing it." - -"Even if Markwith wins this afternoon and so ends the Series, I'd like -to put this through on Matson just the same," snarled Fleming, viciously. - -"No we won't," declared Connelly, decidedly. "I'm out to keep him from -winning the Series and nothing else. If Markwith wins, the game's up, -anyway, and the thing ends for me right there. But if he loses I've got -a chance, and I'll see that Matson doesn't pitch the last game." - -All Boston seemed to have turned out that afternoon at Braves Field. The -enormous seating accommodations were taxed to capacity. It was the last -chance the loyal Bostonians would have to see their favorites in action. -And the fact that if they lost to-day their chance for the world's -pennant was gone brought the excitement to a delirious pitch. - -Landers was in the box for the Bostons while Markwith twirled for the -Giants. Before the game had gone three innings it was seen that both -these gladiators were out to do or die. There was an unusual number of -strike outs and the bases were occupied only at infrequent intervals. -Up to the fifth it was little more than a pitcher's duel. But after -that, though Landers kept his effectiveness, the Red Sox began to get to -Markwith more frequently. It was not that the latter seemed to have let -down a particle. His speed and his curves were working beautifully, but -in a way almost uncanny the Bostons seemed to know what kind of ball was -coming next and set themselves for it accordingly. - -In the sixth they gathered two runs. Burkett had clouted out a home run -for the Giants in their half, but that left them still one short of a -tie. - -Boston started the seventh with a rattling two-bagger to center. - -"I don't understand it," muttered McRae, uneasily. "Markwith never -seemed to be in better shape. He's got a world of smoke." - -"They seem to know just what he's going to feed them," commented Robson. -"It almost looks----" - -He was interrupted by a sharp exclamation from Joe. - -"Look over there by the Boston dugout!" he exclaimed excitedly. "There's -Hartley just behind the screen whispering to Banks. I'll bet that skunk -is giving away Markwith's signals!" - -They looked in the direction indicated. Banks, the Boston second string -pitcher, was lolling carelessly against the railing of the grandstand, -idly chewing on a wisp of straw. Hartley's face behind the screen was -not two feet away from Banks' ear. - -As Markwith prepared to wind up for the next pitch, Hartley leaned -forward a trifle and his lips moved. A glance and an almost imperceptible -sign passed between Banks and the man at the plate. Then as a low -incurve came sweeping up, the batsman caught it square on the seam for -a line single to left. - -"Great Scott!" cried McRae, leaping up from the bench. "They're stealing -our signals!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII - -A BLOW IN THE DARK - - -McRae rushed over to the umpire. - -"There's a fellow over there in the grandstand giving away our signs," -he stormed. - -Cries of derision came from the stands. - -"Hire a hall!" - -"Write him a letter!" - -"Play ball!" - -The umpire called time and walked over with McRae to where Banks was -standing. - -"Get away from there," he ordered. - -"Why?" asked Banks, impudently. - -"Never mind why. Get away I tell you." - -There was nothing left but to obey and Banks sauntered off. - -"And as for you," said the umpire, addressing Hartley, "if I see you -talking to any of the players I'll have you put out of the park." - -"You're a disgrace to the National League," cried McRae, glaring at -Hartley, "and I'll see that you get all that's coming to you for this -bit of work." - -"Aw, what's eating you?" retorted "Bugs" sullenly. "I wasn't doing -anything." But he seemed to shrivel up before the rage in his former -manager's eyes, and for the rest of the game obeyed the umpire's -injunction. - -Markwith and Mylert, who was catching him, instantly changed their signs -and the Bostons scored no more. But the damage was already done, for -Landers was doing some demon pitching, and the game ended with the score -two to one in favor of the Red Sox. - -It was a hard game to lose, and Markwith received nothing but condolence -and sympathy from his mates. He had pitched superbly and though beaten -was not disgraced. - -"I wonder how much that traitor got for giving away his own league," -said Joe, bitterly. - -"Probably just enough to fill up his wretched skin with booze," returned -Jim. "Fellows like him come cheap." - -"He won't get another chance," put in McRae, angrily. "I'll have the -stands searched to-morrow, and if he's there he'll be bundled out neck -and heels." - -Once more the hard-won lead of the Giants had vanished into thin air. -But they took heart of hope and braced up for the struggle on the -morrow. They were to play on their own grounds and Joe would be in the -box. - -All the members of Joe's party were boiling over with indignation. If -anything they took the defeat harder than the players themselves, who -had learned in a hard school to take what was coming to them and brace -up for revenge. - -"Well, to-morrow's a new day and what we'll do to those fellows then -will be a caution," Jim declared philosophically. - -Perhaps his cheerful view of things was increased by the fact that Clara -had promised to let him take her for a cozy little spin to see Bunker -Hill Monument by moonlight. The moon just then was in high favor with -these two young people. - -It was arranged that the pair need not come back to the hotel, but that -Jim could bring Clara directly to the train. Mr. Matson and Reggie would -escort the others. - -Joe grudged every minute spent away from Mabel and stayed with her as -long as he could that evening. But he had promised to drop in on Louis -Anderson to see that the arrangement with Fleming had been carried out, -and at last he left her reluctantly, promising to see her again on the -train if only long enough to say good-night. - -But though he was deprived of her physical presence, his thoughts were -full of her as he was whisked away in the car he had summoned, and the -time passed so quickly that he was surprised when the driver drew up in -front of Anderson's house. - -"Wait for me here," he directed as he stepped out. "I'll only be a few -minutes." - -"Very well, sir," was the response. - -Hardly had Joe gone inside when a man stepped up to the curb. - -"I want you to take me to the North Station," he said, preparing to step -inside. - -"Sorry, sir," was the answer, "but I'm waiting for the fare I brought -here." - -"But I must get that train, I tell you," persisted the other. "I'll pay -you anything you want. Ten dollars, fifteen even." - -The driver was tempted. - -"Make it twenty and I'll go," he said. "I suppose the gentleman can pick -up another car." - -"Sure he can," replied the other. "Twenty it is. Get a move on, now." - -He got inside and the car whizzed away. - -Joe found Anderson and his wife radiant. - -"He did it, Mr. Matson!" the old man cried. "He grumbled a lot about -having had to telegraph on to New York to have his bank wire the cash -to him, but he did it. And I signed a paper giving him a release of all -claims against him. Oh, Mr. Matson, we can never thank you enough for -what you have done for us." - -His wife joined in his expressions of gratitude. - -"Don't mention it," smiled Joe. "I only did what any decent man would -do to right a great wrong. And you squared the account when you gave me -that warning the other day. I was just on the point of stepping into a -trap when I thought of the warning and it saved me." - -"Is that so?" cried Anderson, delightedly. "I'm mighty glad if it helped -you." - -They chatted happily for a few minutes and then, as his time was getting -short, Joe took his leave with their repeated thanks ringing in his ears. - -He was dumbfounded when he saw that the taxicab was not there. - -"Where in thunder is that fellow?" he asked himself. "I suppose he's -getting a nip in the nearest saloon." - -But when, after a minute or two spent in waiting, no car appeared, Joe -started for the nearest thoroughfare, three short blocks away. - -He was just passing the second corner when a man stepped out of the -shadows with something in his hand. - -"Hi, there, stop!" - -"What do you want?" demanded Joe, trying to make out the face in the -darkness. - -"I want you!" hissed the man. - -He took a step closer and raised the object he carried in his hand. - -Joe tried to dodge, but it was too late. - -There was a quick blow. Joe felt no sense of pain. Rather it was a -gradual sinking, sinking, ten thousand fathoms deep! - -Then the famous young baseball player became unconscious. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX - -QUICK WORK - - -Joe's father and mother, together with Mabel and Reggie, had reached the -station a few minutes before train time, and Clara and Jim, who might be -excused for tarrying, had joined them a little later. They were somewhat -puzzled at not finding Joe on the platform. - -"You folks get on anyway," suggested Jim. "Probably Joe is up in the car -with the team. McRae may have nabbed him to have a talk with him." - -After they were safely in their coach, Jim hurried forward to the -Giants' cars. He went through both of them, but before he had finished -his search the gong rang and the train started. - -"Seen anything of Joe?" he asked McRae. - -"No," was the answer. "I suppose he's in the car behind with his folks." - -"But he isn't," replied Jim. "I thought I'd find him here." - -"What?" fairly yelled McRae, springing to his feet. "You don't mean to -say he's missed the train?" - -In an instant all was agitation. - -The smoker was first searched, then every car in the train from end to -end, but, of course, Joe was not to be found. - -McRae and Robson were wild and the rest of the team were glum. - -"Of course, he can get that eight o'clock train in the morning," was -the only comfort McRae would allow himself. "That will get him to the -grounds in time, but he won't be in good shape to pitch right after the -trip." - -But Jim had reasons of his own for fear, and a cold sweat broke out on -him as he thought of Fleming. But he put on as good a face as possible -in order to reassure the girls and the rest of Joe's party, who were -torn with anxiety and apprehension. - -It was broad daylight when Joe woke to a sense of his surroundings. His -head swam and it was some time before he could recall the events of the -preceding night. - -He was in a shabby room, sitting on the floor against the wall with his -hands tied behind him. As his brain cleared he was conscious of a face -looking at him curiously. There was a sweet sickly odor in the room. - -"Waking up, eh?" asked Moriarty with a grin. - -"You'll pay for this," said Joe, thickly. - -Moriarty laughed. - -"Now don't get sore," he counseled. "Nobody's going to hurt you. You'll -be out of this in a little while now. We're going to let you go just as -soon as the New York train has gone." - -Joe tried to digest this. Why should they keep him from getting the -train for New York. Then in a blinding flash his brain woke from its -daze. - -It was the day of the last game! And he was in Boston! And if he missed -the morning train he could not get to New York before the game was over! - -His heart turned sick. What would McRae and the rest of the boys say? -What would Mabel and the folks think? - -He pictured the consternation when he should fail to turn up in time. -The team would be demoralized. Whom would they pitch? Only Jim was -available and he had pitched two days before. And he would be so full of -worry over his friend that he could not be at his best. - -Was the World Series then to be lost? Was the splendid fight the boys -had put up to go for nothing? - -"You only got a little tap on the head," Moriarty was saying. "It was -just enough to make you quiet, and chloroform did the rest. We didn't -figure to be any rougher than we had to be." - -Joe made no reply but he was thinking hard and fast. - -He tested the bonds that held his hands behind him. They seemed tight -but not excessively so. Probably his captors had put most of their faith -in the chloroform. - -With as little apparent exertion as possible, he began to stretch and -strain at them. His powerful wrists and hands seemed endowed with double -their ordinary strength and to his delight he could feel the cords give. - -Moriarty was alone with him, but Joe could hear low voices in an -adjoining room. One of them he thought he recognized as Fleming's, and -his teeth gritted with rage. - -At last he wriggled one hand free, although he had rasped his wrist till -he felt it was bleeding. A moment more and he had freed his other hand, -though he still kept both behind him. - -Moriarty was yawning after his night's vigil. - -"What time is it now?" Joe muttered sleepily. - -"Just a little after eight," Moriarty answered. "The train's just about -started now, but we'll let you cool your heels here for another hour or -so. Then you can walk the ties if you want to." - -"You've got me pretty well trussed up here," said Joe. "The fellow who -tied these knots knew his business." - -"Yes," said Moriarty, complacently, strolling over to look at them. -"He's a dandy when it comes to doing----" - -But he got no further. - -As he bent down, Joe's muscular hands darted out and clutched him by -the throat. The yell he started to give was stifled at its birth. In a -moment Joe was on top of him with his knee on his chest. - -Moriarty struggled as hard as he could, but his liquor-soaked frame -speedily collapsed before Joe's onslaught, and in a moment he lay limp -and senseless. Then Joe flung him aside and rose to his feet. - -He rubbed his legs vigorously to restore the circulation until he felt -the strength coming back into them. - -There was but one door leading from the room. Joe went to it on tiptoe. -He could still hear the murmur of voices. He flung the door open -suddenly and burst into the adjoining room. - -Fleming and Connelly sprang to their feet in consternation. With a -powerful uppercut, Joe sent Fleming crashing to the floor. Connelly -retreated and Joe had no time to bother with him. - -He flung himself down the stairs and out into the street. Half a block -away he saw a taxicab coming toward him. He rushed toward it. - -"To the South Station!" he gasped. "Quick! Quick! Quick!" - -In an amazingly short time, the taxicab, running at high speed, landed -him at the depot. Joe saw by the station clock that it was a quarter to -nine. - -Frantically, he sought out the traffic manager and ordered a special. - -"I must be in New York by one o'clock," he cried. "I must, I tell you. -Never mind the price. Get me a special." - -The official hummed and hawed. "It would take a little time to make it -up, to get a car. It would----" - -"Don't wait for a car," interrupted Joe, in frenzy. "I'll ride on the -locomotive." - -In ten minutes the train despatcher had arranged for the right of way, -and one of the road's fastest locomotives puffed up. Joe sprang into the -cab, the engineer flung the throttle open and they were off. - -"Can you make it?" questioned our hero, anxiously. - -"We'll make it or bust," was the grim response of the engineer. - -He was one of the oldest and most reliable men on the road and as Joe -looked at him he felt his confidence rising. - -Yet a good many miles lay between our hero and New York City. - -And a hundred things might happen to delay the special. - -On and on they went, humming over the steel rails at such a rate of -speed that Joe could scarcely see the telegraph poles. - -Suddenly the engineer pulled on a lever and the big locomotive slackened -speed so quickly that our hero was all but thrown to the floor of the -cab. - -"Wh--what's the matter?" he gasped, when he could catch his breath. - -"Signal against us," was the short reply. "It's O. K. now;" and once -more the locomotive sped on its way. - -"Phew! you have to have your eyes open, don't you?" - -"That's it--just like you do, when you are pitching," answered the old -engineer. - -"Some work, running a locomotive," mused the young baseball player. "I -guess an engineer earns all the money he gets." - -Half an hour later came another scare. Again the locomotive pulled up, -this time to allow an automobile full of people to pass over the tracks. -An instant sooner and the big engine would have ground the "joy riders" -to death. - -"Meet such fools almost every trip," said the engineer. "Seems as if -they wanted to be killed." - -"Why don't you have gates at such crossings?" - -"It would cost too much money to have a gate at every crossing," was the -explanation. "We do have 'em on the main roads. That was only a little -dirt road--I don't know why the auto was on it. I wasn't looking for -anything faster than a farm wagon or a buggy." - -"You must have some accidents?" - -"Oh, yes, but not many, considering the risks we run. But we wouldn't -have hardly any accidents if the folks were a bit more careful. But some -of 'em don't heed the warnings. They will read a 'Safety First' sign and -then run right into danger, just as if they were blind," went on the old -engineer, with a grimace. - -They were now on an upgrade, but presently they gained the top of the -rise and down they streaked on the other side, at a rate of speed that -fairly took Joe's breath away. - -"Some running, and no mistake!" he gasped. "You must be making a mile a -minute, or better!" - -"Running at the rate of seventy-five miles an hour. But we can't keep -it up. Here is where we slow down," and they did so, as a long curve -appeared in the tracks. - -"I don't know as I want to be a locomotive engineer. You run too fast." - -"And I don't want to be a baseball player--you pitch too fast," chuckled -the old engineer. - -"Well, everyone to his own calling, I suppose." - -On they plunged in the wildest ride Baseball Joe had ever known. Under -arches and over bridges, thundering through towns with scarcely a -lessening of speed, past waiting trains drawn up on side tracks to give -the special the right of way, on, on, lurching, swaying, tearing along, -until at ten minutes before one the panting engine drew up in the yards -at New York City. - -The game was to begin at two. - -Baseball Joe leaped into a taxicab with orders to scorch up the -pavements in a mad dash to the Polo Grounds. Then the clubhouse, into -which Joe tumbled, covered with grime and cinders, amid the frantic -exclamations of the rubbers and attendants. Then the cooling shower -and a quick shift into his uniform, after which Joe, cool, collected, -thoroughly master of himself, strolled out on the field where the whole -Giant team forgot their practice and made a wild rush for him. - -He had fought a good fight. He had kept the faith. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX - -A GLORIOUS VICTORY - - -There was a mad scramble and Joe was almost pulled to pieces by his -relieved and exulting mates. Then came a torrent of questions which Joe -good-naturedly parried. - -"After the game, boys, I'll tell you all about it," he said, "but just -now I want to get a little practice in tossing them over." - -"Didn't I tell you that nothing could stop that boy from getting here?" -crowed Robson, gleefully. - -"I thought so myself," answered McRae, "but when they 'phoned up to me -that he hadn't come in on that regular morning train, I thought our -goose was cooked." - -In some mysterious way, though McRae had tried to keep it a profound -secret, the news had got abroad that something had occurred that would -keep Matson out of the game, and the crowds that had put their chief -reliance on that mighty arm of his had been restless and fearful. So -when they recognized him the stands rocked and thundered with applause, -and the general relief was not much less than that felt by the Giants -themselves at the return of their crack pitcher. - -But it was toward an upper box that Joe's eyes first turned. There was -a wild flutter of handkerchiefs and clapping of hands. Mabel and Clara -were leaning far out and waving to him. But Mrs. Matson's face was -hidden by her handkerchief, and Joe saw his father quietly slip his arm -around her. Joe did not dare to look any longer for he suddenly felt a -dimness come over his own eyes, and he hastily turned to the tremendous -task that confronted him. - -For that afternoon he was fighting against odds. His head was still -aching from the effects of the blow and the chloroform. The rocking of -the engine had made his legs unsteady. And the only food he had had -since the night before was a sandwich he had sent for while he was -slipping into his uniform. - -But it is just such circumstances that bring out the thoroughbred strain -in a man, and as Baseball Joe took his place in the box and looked -around at the enormous crowd and realized the immense responsibility -that rested on him, he rose magnificently to the occasion. Gone was -weariness and pain and weakness. His nerves stiffened to the strain, and -the game he pitched that afternoon was destined to become a classic in -baseball history. - -The first ball he whipped over the plate went for a strike. A second -and a third followed. And from that time on Joe knew that he held the -Bostons in the hollow of his hand. - -There are times when to feel invincible is to be invincible. Joe was -in that mood. He was a glorious figure of athletic young manhood as -he stood there with forty thousand pairs of eyes riveted upon him. He -had discarded his cap because the band hurt his head where he had been -struck, and his brown hair gleamed in the bright sun as he hurled the -ball with deadly precision toward the batter. Like a piston rod his arm -shot out untiringly and the ball whistled as it cut the plate. - -"Gee whiz, see that ball come over!" muttered McRae. - -"He'll wear himself out," said Robson, anxiously. "It isn't in flesh and -blood to keep up that gait for nine innings." - -Fraser was in the box for the Bostons, and he, too, was pitching -first-class ball. But the Giants by the end of the fourth inning were -beginning to solve his delivery. The hits were getting a sharper ring -to them and going out more on a line. But superb fielding helped the -Bostonian out of several tight places and he "got by" until the fifth. - -Then the Giants broke the ice. Larry sent a corking single out to -center. Denton whaled out a tremendous hit that had all the earmarks of -a home run. But Walters, by a wonderful sprint, got under it and Larry, -who had rounded second, had all he could do to get back to first before -the throw in. - -"Highway robbery," growled Denton, as he went disconsolately back to the -bench. - -Willis went out on strikes, but Becker poled out a crashing three-bagger -that brought Larry over the rubber for the first run of the game and -sent the stands into hysterics. - -Becker was caught napping a moment later and the inning ended. The New -Yorkers were hilarious while the Boston rooters were correspondingly -depressed. - -"You're getting to him, boys!" yelled McRae. "We'll drive him to the -tall timber before long." - -But Fraser had views of his own on that subject and refused to be -driven. He had no ambition to be slaughtered to make a New York holiday. - -Still, though he uncorked a dazzling assortment of shoots and slants, -the Giants scored another run in the sixth though it took two singles, -two passes and a wild pitch before it was finally recorded. - -Iredell beat out a slow roller to Hobbs and took second on a single by -Curry to right field. Both of them were advanced a base on a wild pitch -that just touched the tips of Thompson's fingers as he leaped for it, -and rolled all the way to the Bostons' dugout before it was regained. -Joe was purposely passed, Fraser thinking that with the bases full a -double play might pull him out of danger. - -Mylert hit to Hobbs, forcing Iredell at the plate, although he made a -great slide. Another pass given to Burkett forced Curry home for the -second run of the game, leaving the bases still full. Larry was at the -bat and there was a great chance to "clean up," as he was frantically -urged to do by the excited spectators. But the best he could do was to -tap weakly to Fraser who fired it back to the plate making a force out. -Thompson, in turn, shot it to Hobbs in plenty of time to get the runner, -making a sharp and snappy double play. - -"We ought to have made more out of that than we did," growled McRae. -"That's what I call bush league work. To have the bases full twice and -as the result of it all one little measly run!" - -"Never mind, John," chuckled Robson. "It's one more to the good, anyway, -and even if it is measly I'll bet that Boston would be mighty glad to -have one like it." - -In the seventh inning, Walters, the first man up, sent up a high foul -that Burkett and Mylert started for at once. Larry, who was field -captain, shouted to Burkett to take the ball. But Mylert either did not -hear or trusted to his own judgment and collided forcibly with the first -baseman, both going to the ground with a crash, while the ball dropped -between them. - -The other players rushed to the spot and lifted the players to their -feet. Luckily, they were not unconscious although badly shaken, but it -was fully five minutes before the game was resumed. - -Walters' second effort was a sharp grounder straight at Denton, which -the latter shot to first in plenty of time. But the ball went high and -rolled almost to the right field wall. By the time it was retrieved, -Walters had got around to third amid the frantic acclamations of the -Boston rooters who thought they saw at last a chance to score. - -With a man on third, no man out and some of the heaviest sluggers coming -up, it looked as though the Red Sox would break their string of zeros. - -A long fly to the outfield, even though caught, would in all probability -bring in Walters from third. - -But Joe tightened up and struck out the next man up in three pitched -balls. He made Hobbs chop a bounder to the box on which Walters did not -dare to try for the plate. Then with two out he beguiled Girdner into -sending up a towering foul which Mylert caught almost without stirring -from his position. Poor Walters, left at third, hurled his cap to the -ground in a movement of despair, and the gloom about the Boston section -of the stands could be fairly felt. - -The Bostons now were growing desperate. They bunted. They tried to wait -Joe out. They sought to rattle him by finding fault with his position in -the box. They put in pinch hitters. They pulled all the "inside stuff" -they knew. - -But Joe obstinately refused to "crack." He "had everything" on the ball. -His change of pace was perfect. His curves worked beautifully. His drop -ball broke sharply, inches below their bats. - -"All over but the shouting," chuckled McRae, as the Red Sox came in for -their last inning. - -But two minutes later he was pale as chalk while the Boston partisans -were in delirium. - -Girdner sent an easy grasser to Larry, who booted it, and the batter -reached first. Stock followed with a bunt that Denton slipped down on -as he ran in for it. These mishaps must have got on Burkett's nerves, -for he squarely muffed Thompson's pop fly that any "busher" could have -caught. - -There were three men on bases, though none had made a hit. No man was -out, and Cooper, the slugger of the Boston team, was coming to the plate. - -A hit of any kind would bring in two men and tie the game. A two-bagger -would clear the bases and put Boston in the lead. The Red Sox rooters -were on their feet and screaming like mad. - -Joe shot over a ball at which Cooper refused to "bite." The next one, -however, suited him better, and he sent it hurtling toward the box like -a bullet. - -Joe saw it coming two feet over his head. Like a flash he leaped up and -caught it in his ungloved hand. He turned and shot it over to Denton at -third. Denton touched the bag putting out Girdner who had turned to go -back and then got the ball down to Larry before Stock could get back to -second. - -It was a triple play! The game was over, the Series was won and the -Giants had become the champions of the world! - -For a moment the crowd was fairly stunned. Then wild howls and yells -arose and an uproar ensued that was deafening. Staid citizens forgot -their dignity and danced up and down like madmen, utter strangers hugged -each other, straw hats were tossed into the air or smashed on their -owners' heads. Then the crowd hurdled over the stands and swooped down -on the players who were making tracks as fast as they could for the -clubhouse to escape the deluge. - -"A no-hit game! A triple play!" gasped McRae, as he almost wrenched -Joe's arm from its socket. "Joe, you're a wonder. And now for that tour -around the world. You've got to go with me, Joe. I won't take No for an -answer. You'll be our greatest drawing card." - -How Joe accepted the invitation and the startling events that followed -will be told in the next volume of the series, to be entitled: "Baseball -Joe Around the World; Or, Pitching on a Grand Tour." - -It was a long time before Joe could tear himself away from his hilarious -team-mates and reach his party at the Marlborough. How his mother cried -over him in her joy and pride, how Mr. Matson wrung his hand and patted -his shoulder hardly trusting himself to speak, how Clara hugged and -kissed him, how Mabel would have liked to do the same but did not dare -to, how Jim and Reggie mauled and pounded him--all this can be easily -guessed. They were happy beyond all words. - -But there was an impalpable something in the air that gradually thinned -out the party. Mrs. Matson motioned her husband to come with her. Jim -and Clara, only too glad of the excuse, slipped away, casting a roguish -glance behind them, and even the obtuse Reggie remembered a letter he -had to write and vanished. - -Joe and Mabel, left alone, looked at each other, but Mabel's eyes fell -instantly before what they read in Joe's. Her cheeks flushed, her breath -came faster and she began to tremble. - -"Mabel," Joe began, a trifle huskily. - -"Yes, Joe," she faltered. - -He took her little glove from his pocket and bent toward her tenderly. - -"This little glove of yours has done wonders for me," he said. "It has -helped me to win two championships. But these victories are nothing to -me unless I win you, too. Will you be my wife, Mabel--will you? You know -I love you." - -He read his answer in the beautiful eyes full of love and trust that she -turned up to his. The next instant she was in his arms. - -Decidedly, it was Joe's winning day. - -And that good right arm of his had made it a winning day also for hosts -of others. The whole National League was aflame with exultation. The -city of New York was wild with joy. And every member of the Giant team -was tasting the delights of victory to the full. - -They had all played their parts well and ably. But they knew perfectly -well that more credit belonged to Joe than to any one else and they were -loud in their praises of his skill and courage. - -"I've seen some dandy pitching in my life," Robson declared to the group -of Giant players who had gathered round for an impromptu jollification, -"but that performance of Matson's this afternoon was far and away the -best of all. He was as cool as a cucumber and it was impossible to -rattle him. He couldn't have done better. He's the greatest pitcher in -the League to-day, barring none!" - -"Right you are!" exclaimed McRae, clapping him on the shoulder. "I tell -you, Robbie, it was a great day for New York when I signed Baseball Joe -for the Giant team!" - - -THE END - - - - -THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES - -BY LESTER CHADWICK - -_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid._ - - -[Illustration] - - BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS - _or The Rivals of Riverside_ - -Joe is an everyday country boy who loves to play baseball and -particularly to pitch. - - - BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE - _or Pitching for the Blue Banner_ - -Joe's great ambition was to go to boarding school and play on the school -team. - - - BASEBALL JOE AT YALE - _or Pitching for the College Championship_ - -Joe goes to Yale University. In his second year he becomes a varsity -pitcher and pitches in several big games. - - - BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE - _or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_ - -In this volume the scene of action is shifted from Yale college to a -baseball league of our central states. - - - BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE - _or A Young Pitcher's Hardest Struggles_ - -From the Central League Joe is drafted into the St. Louis Nationals. A -corking baseball story all fans will enjoy. - - - BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS - _or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_ - -How Joe was traded to the Giants and became their mainstay in the box -makes an interesting baseball story. - - - BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES - _or Pitching for the Championship_ - -The rivalry was of course of the keenest, and what Joe did to win the -series is told in a manner to thrill the most jaded reader. - - - BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD - _or Pitching on a Grand Tour_ - -The Giants and the All-Americans tour the world, playing in many foreign -countries. - - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -Alive, Patriotic, Elevating - -BANNER BOY SCOUTS SERIES - -By GEORGE A. WARREN - -Author of the "Revolutionary Series" - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, Net. - - -[Illustration] - -The Boy Scouts movement has swept over our country like wildfire, and is -endorsed by our greatest men and leading educators. No author is better -qualified to write such a series as this than Professor Warren, who has -watched the movement closely since its inception in England some years -ago. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS - _or The Struggle for Leadership_ - -This initial volume tells how the news of the scout movement reached -the boys and how they determined to act on it. They organized the Fox -Patrol, and some rivals organized another patrol. More patrols were -formed in neighboring towns and a prize was put up for the patrol -scoring the most points in a many-sided contest. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS ON A TOUR - _or The Mystery of Rattlesnake Mountain_ - -This story begins with a mystery that is most unusual. There is a good -deal of fun and adventure, camping, fishing, and swimming, and the young -heroes more than once prove their worth. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS AFLOAT - _or The Secret of Cedar Island_ - -Here is another tale of life in the open, of jolly times on river and -lake and around the camp fire, told by one who has camped out for many -years. - - - THE BANNER BOY SCOUTS SNOWBOUND (_New_) - _or A Tour on Skates and Iceboats_ - -The boys take a trip into the mountains, where they are caught in a big -snowstorm and are snowbound. A series of stirring adventures which will -hold the interest of every reader. - - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE WEBSTER SERIES - -By FRANK V. WEBSTER - - -[Illustration] - -Mr. Webster's style is very much like that of the boys' favorite author, -the late lamented Horatio Alger, Jr., but his tales are thoroughly -up-to-date. - -Cloth. 12mo. Over 200 pages each. Illustrated. Stamped in various colors. - -Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. - - Only A Farm Boy - _or Dan Hardy's Rise in Life_ - - The Boy From The Ranch - _or Roy Bradner's City Experiences_ - - The Young Treasure Hunter - _or Fred Stanley's Trip to Alaska_ - - The Boy Pilot of the Lakes - _or Nat Morton's Perils_ - - Tom The Telephone Boy - _or The Mystery of a Message_ - - Bob The Castaway - _or The Wreck of the Eagle_ - - The Newsboy Partners - _or Who Was Dick Box?_ - - Two Boy Gold Miners - _or Lost in the Mountains_ - - The Young Firemen of Lakeville - _or Herbert Dare's Pluck_ - - The Boys of Bellwood School - _or Frank Jordan's Triumph_ - - Jack the Runaway - _or On the Road with a Circus_ - - Bob Chester's Grit - _or From Ranch to Riches_ - - Airship Andy - _or The Luck of a Brave Boy_ - - High School Rivals - _or Fred Markham's Struggles_ - - Darry The Life Saver - _or The Heroes of the Coast_ - - Dick The Bank Boy - _or A Missing Fortune_ - - Ben Hardy's Flying Machine - _or Making a Record for Himself_ - - Harry Watson's High School Days - _or The Rivals of Rivertown_ - - Comrades of the Saddle - _or The Young Rough Riders of the Plains_ - - Tom Taylor at West Point - _or The Old Army Officer's Secret_ - - The Boy Scouts of Lennox - _or Hiking Over Big Bear Mountain_ - - The Boys of the Wireless - _or a Stirring Rescue from the Deep_ - - Cowboy Dave - _or The Round-up at Rolling River_ - - Jack of the Pony Express - _or The Young Rider of the Mountain Trail_ - - The Boys of the Battleship - or For the Honor of Uncle Sam - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE BOYS' OUTING LIBRARY - - _12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full color. - Price, per volume, 60 cents, postpaid._ - - -[Illustration] - -=THE SADDLE BOYS SERIES= - -BY CAPT. JAMES CARSON - - The Saddle Boys of the Rockies - The Saddle Boys in the Grand Canyon - The Saddle Boys on the Plains - The Saddle Boys at Circle Ranch - The Saddle Boys on Mexican Trails - - -=THE DAVE DASHAWAY SERIES= - -BY ROY ROCKWOOD - - Dave Dashaway the Young Aviator - Dave Dashaway and His Hydroplane - Dave Dashaway and His Giant Airship - Dave Dashaway Around the World - Dave Dashaway: Air Champion - - -=THE SPEEDWELL BOYS SERIES= - -BY ROY ROCKWOOD - - The Speedwell Boys on Motorcycles - The Speedwell Boys and Their Racing Auto - The Speedwell Boys and Their Power Launch - The Speedwell Boys in a Submarine - The Speedwell Boys and Their Ice Racer - - -=THE TOM FAIRFIELD SERIES= - -BY ALLEN CHAPMAN - - Tom Fairfield's School Days - Tom Fairfield at Sea - Tom Fairfield in Camp - Tom Fairfield's Pluck and Luck - Tom Fairfield's Hunting Trip - - -=THE FRED FENTON ATHLETIC SERIES= - -BY ALLEN CHAPMAN - - Fred Fenton the Pitcher - Fred Fenton in the Line - Fred Fenton on the Track - Fred Fenton on the Crew - Fred Fenton: Marathon Runner - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -THE TOM FAIRFIELD SERIES - -By ALLEN CHAPMAN - -Author of the "Fred Fenton Athletic Series," "The Boys of Pluck Series," -and "The Darewell Chums Series." - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. - -Tom Fairfield is a typical American lad, full of life and energy, a boy -who believes in doing things. To know Tom is to love him. - - -[Illustration] - - TOM FAIRFIELD'S SCHOOLDAYS - _or The Chums of Elmwood Hall_ - -Tells of how Tom started for school, of the mystery surrounding one of -the Hall seniors, and of how the hero went to the rescue. The first book -in a line that is bound to become decidedly popular. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD AT SEA - _or The Wreck of the Silver Star_ - -Tom's parents had gone to Australia and then been cast away somewhere -in the Pacific. Tom set out to find them and was himself cast away. A -thrilling picture of the perils of the deep. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD IN CAMP - _or The Secret of the Old Mill_ - -The boys decided to go camping, and located near an old mill. A wild man -resided there and he made it decidedly lively for Tom and his chums. The -secret of the old mill adds to the interest of the volume. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD'S PLUCK AND LUCK - _or Working to Clear His Name_ - -While Tom was back at school some of his enemies tried to get him into -trouble. Something unusual occurred and Tom was suspected of a crime. -How he set to work to clear his name is told in a manner to interest all -young readers. - - - TOM FAIRFIELD'S HUNTING TRIP - _or Lost in the Wilderness_ - -Tom was only a schoolboy, but he loved to use a shotgun or a rifle. In -this volume we meet him on a hunting trip full of outdoor life and good -times around the camp-fire. - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE KHAKI BOYS SERIES - -BY CAPT. GORDON BATES - -_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full color._ - -_=Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid.=_ - - -[Illustration] - -_All who love the experiences and adventures of our American boys, -fighting for the freedom of democracy in the world, will be delighted -with these vivid and true-to-life stories of the camp and field in the -great war._ - - - THE KHAKI BOYS AT CAMP STERLING - _or Training for the Big Fight in France_ - -Two zealous young patriots volunteer and begin their military training. -On the train going to camp they meet two rookies with whom they become -chums. Together they get into a baffling camp mystery that develops into -an extraordinary spy-plot. They defeat the enemies of their country -and incidentally help one another to promotion both in friendship and -service. - - - THE KHAKI BOYS ON THE WAY - _or Doing Their Bit on Sea and Land_ - -Our soldier boys having completed their training at Camp Sterling are -transferred to a Southern cantonment from which they are finally sent -aboard a troop-ship for France. On the trip their ship is sunk by a -U-boat and their adventures are realistic descriptions of the tragedies -of the sea. - - - THE KHAKI BOYS AT THE FRONT - _or Shoulder to Shoulder in the Trenches_ - -The Khaki Boys reach France, and, after some intensive training in sound -of the battle front, are sent into the trenches. In the raids across -No-Man's land, they have numerous tragic adventures that show what great -work is being performed by our soldiers. It shows what makes heroes. - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -THE MOTOR GIRLS SERIES - -By MARGARET PENROSE - -Author of the highly successful "Dorothy Dale Series" - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid. - - -[Illustration] - -Since the enormous success of our "Motor Boys Series," by Clarence -Young, we have been asked to get out a similar series for girls. No -one is better equipped to furnish these tales than Mrs. Penrose, who, -besides being an able writer, is an expert automobilist. - - THE MOTOR GIRLS - _or A Mystery of the Road_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON A TOUR - _or Keeping a Strange Promise_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS AT LOOKOUT BEACH - _or In Quest of the Runaways_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS THROUGH NEW ENGLAND - _or Held by the Gypsies_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON CEDAR LAKE - _or The Hermit of Fern Island_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON THE COAST - _or The Waif from the Sea_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON CRYSTAL BAY - _or The Secret of the Red Oar_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS ON WATERS BLUE - _or The Strange Cruise of the Tartar_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS AT CAMP SURPRISE - _or The Cave in the Mountain_ - - THE MOTOR GIRLS IN THE MOUNTAINS - _or The Gypsy Girl's Secret_ - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE DOROTHY DALE SERIES - -By MARGARET PENROSE - -Author of "The Motor Girls Series" - -12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid. - - -[Illustration] - -Dorothy Dale is the daughter of an old Civil War veteran who is running -a weekly newspaper in a small Eastern town. Her sunny disposition, her -fun-loving ways and her trials and triumphs make clean, interesting and -fascinating reading. The Dorothy Dale Series is one of the most popular -series of books for girls ever published. - - DOROTHY DALE: A GIRL OF TO-DAY - DOROTHY DALE AT GLENWOOD SCHOOL - DOROTHY DALE'S GREAT SECRET - DOROTHY DALE AND HER CHUMS - DOROTHY DALE'S QUEER HOLIDAYS - DOROTHY DALE'S CAMPING DAYS - DOROTHY DALE'S SCHOOL RIVALS - DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY - DOROTHY DALE'S PROMISE - DOROTHY DALE IN THE WEST - DOROTHY DALE'S STRANGE DISCOVERY - DOROTHY DALE'S ENGAGEMENT - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE KHAKI GIRLS SERIES - -BY EDNA BROOKS - -_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors._ - -_=Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid.=_ - - -[Illustration] - -_When Uncle Sam sent forth the ringing call, "I need you!" it was not -alone his strong young sons who responded. All over the United States -capable American girls stood ready to offer their services to their -country. How two young girls donned the khaki and made good in the Motor -Corps, an organization for women developed by the Great War, forms a -series of stories of signal novelty and vivid interest and action._ - - - THE KHAKI GIRLS OF THE MOTOR CORPS - _or Finding Their Place in the Big War_ - -Joan Mason, an enthusiastic motor girl, and Valerie Warde, a society -debutante, meet at an automobile show. Next day they go together to the -Motor Corps headquarters and in due time are accepted and become members -of the Corps, in the service of the United States. The two girl drivers -find motoring for Uncle Sam a most exciting business. Incidentally they -are instrumental in rendering valuable service to the United States -government by discovering and running down a secret organization of its -enemies. - - - THE KHAKI GIRLS BEHIND THE LINES - _or Driving with the Ambulance Corps_ - -As a result of their splendid work in the Motor Corps, the Khaki Girls -receive the honor of an opportunity to drive with the Ambulance Corps in -France. After a most eventful and hazardous crossing of the Atlantic, -they arrive in France and are assigned to a station behind the lines. -Constantly within range of enemy shrapnel, out in all kinds of weather, -tearing over shell-torn roads and dodging Boche patrols, all go to make -up the day's work, and bring them many exciting adventures. - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -THE RUTH FIELDING SERIES - -BY ALICE B. EMERSON - -_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid._ - - -[Illustration] - -Ruth Fielding was an orphan and came to live with her miserly uncle. Her -adventures and travels make stories that will hold the interest of every -reader. - - RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL - _or Jasper Parloe's Secret_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL - _or Solving the Campus Mystery_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP - _or Lost in the Backwoods_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT - _or Nita, the Girl Castaway_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH - _or Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys_ - - RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND - _or The Old Hunter's Treasure Box_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM - _or What Became of the Raby Orphans_ - - RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES - _or The Missing Pearl Necklace_ - - RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES - _or Helping the Dormitory Fund_ - - RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE - _or Great Days in the Land of Cotton_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE - _or The Missing Examination Papers_ - - RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE - _or College Girls in the Land of Gold_ - - RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS (_New_) - _or Doing Her Bit for Uncle Sam_ - - RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT (_New_) - _or The Hunt for a Lost Soldier_ - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - - Transcriber's Notes: - - --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_); text in - bold by "equal" signs (=bold=). - - --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected, - except as noted below. - - --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - - --Inconsistencies in formatting and punctuation of individual - advertisements have been retained. - - --Variations in the name of the evil-faced man, Moriarity and Moriarty, - have been retained. - - --Page numbers in the Table of Contents for Chapters XXIX and XXX have - been changed to reflect the actual beginning page number in the text. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Baseball Joe in the World Series, by -Lester Chadwick - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES *** - -***** This file should be named 43455.txt or 43455.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/4/5/43455/ - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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