CASSIDY DEMANDS HIS MONEY.
In the midst of the great crowd on the bleachers back of third sat
three persons who wore the clothes of laborers, but whose hands were
not those of workingmen. They were Hobart Manton, Denton Frost, and
Jim Necker. These chaps had ventured to witness the game together, but
Manton refused to attend in the company of the others unless they wore
a semi-disguise, like himself.
The “gentleman pugilist” was keenly interested in the game, for he
confessed that he had bet money on the Outcasts, regarding the chance
as a “snap.”
“I’ve seen the most of Merriwell’s bunch,” he told his companions, “and
they won’t be in it for a minute. If you can find any marks who are
willing to back Merriwell, bet every dollar you have. It will be just
the same as finding money.”
Frost and Necker had taken this advice. As they watched the beginning
of the game they commented on the amateurish practice of Frank’s team.
“I told you what to expect,” chuckled Manton. “The only thing I’m sorry
about is that I didn’t have more ready money to wager. I’ve bet every
dollar I could get together.”
“Then,” said Necker, “if you should happen to lose, you would go broke.”
“I wouldn’t have a whole dollar left,” acknowledged Merriwell’s enemy.
“But there is not one chance in a thousand that I will lose. I can’t
lose. It will give me some satisfaction to see the great Merriwell
properly beaten, but I’m sorry that I’ll have no hand in the beating.”
“You didn’t give him much of a beating the last time you met him,” said
Necker, with a grin.
“All on account of that confounded slob, Grafter!” growled Manton. “If
he hadn’t seen us and brought the coppers we’d fixed Merriwell so he
would be in the hospital to-day, instead of playing baseball.”
“And only for me,” reminded Necker, “we might be in the jug, instead of
here to witness the game. I saw the cops coming and gave you the alarm.”
“We have something to settle with Grafter,” hissed Frost, in his
chilling way. “He’s doing his level best to get us kicked out of Eagle
Heights.”
“And he’ll succeed if you don’t appear and answer to the charges
preferred against you,” said Manton. “I was kicked out, even when I did
try to defend myself.”
“Say,” broke forth Necker, “did you pay that bunch of sluggers?”
“What bunch?”
“The ones you engaged to help us hammer Merriwell and Hodge.”
“Pay them? Why should I? They didn’t do anything, did they?”
“No; but you agreed to give them something, anyhow.”
“Well, they’ve got all they will get.”
“One of them got something,” said Frost. “Hug Murphy was given a year
for flat robbery.”
“Next to Pink Cassidy,” said Manton, “he was the ugliest man in the
bunch. Pink was the leader.”
“Speak of the devil,” hissed Frost, “and you’ll see the print of his
hoof! There’s Cassidy now.”
“Where?” anxiously asked the other two.
Frost pointed out a chap with bright red hair.
“Yes, that’s him,” nodded Manton; “and he’s spotted us. I’m sorry, for
he’ll come around.”
He was right. “Pink” Cassidy, a sullen, stocky young thug, had seen
them, and it was not long before he came forcing his way up over the
bleachers and reached them.
“Set over, you!” he growled at a man who was beside Manton. “I wanter
set wid me frien’s.”
“Go on!” retorted the man. “There’s no room here, Mr. Buttinsky.”
“Den I’ll make some room,” said Pink, as he grasped the man by the
collar and gave him a jerk that flung him over the line of spectators
below and onto the heads of the next row. “Allus move when a gent asks
ye to.”
Saying which, he calmly took the seat thus made vacant.
This action caused considerable commotion and enraged both the fellow
who had been thus handled and those upon which he had landed; but
Cassidy minded it not in the least, laughing and retorting to their
angry words.
“If any of youse is lookin’ for trouble,” he said, “you can have all
yer want. Better set still an’ enjoy der game. Der gent wid the smashed
dicer can git him a new one for der price. He needs it. Dat lid is all
outer date.”
“What do you mean by coming here and making all this row?” growled
Manton. “You have half the bunch on this side rubbering at us.”
“Oh, be calm, be calm,” advised Cassidy serenely. “Let ’em rubber. Dey
won’t bite er northin’. I seen youse here, an’ I took a fancy to set
wid youse. You owe me money.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dere, dere, don’t gimme any o’ dat! It don’t go wid me. You know wot I
mean. Dere’s somet’n’ comin’ ter me, an’ dis is me day fer collectin’.”
“You can’t get anything out of me. I’m broke.”
“Nay, nay; I’m too wise ter swaller dat. A gent like youse never goes
busted. Come down wid der long green.”
“Shut up that talk!” grated the gentleman pugilist. “There’s nothing
due you.”
“Den dere’s somet’n’ due youse, me boy! If youse don’t settle I’m goin’
ter tie you in a double hard knot.”
Manton was enraged. He was not afraid of Cassidy as a fighter, but
he feared the fellow would succeed in attracting the attention of
Merriwell and thus get them all into trouble.
“See here,” he whispered, “do you want to follow Hug Murphy?”
“I ain’t t’inkin’ of doin’ dat.”
“Well, you will if you kick up a disturbance here. Merriwell will spot
you, and he’ll push you, too.”
“Speakin’ one ter yerself, I t’ink,” sneered Pink. “Wot would he do ter
youse if he ketched ye?”
Manton and his companions were genuinely alarmed.
“Pay him, Manton!” hissed Frost. “Get rid of him somehow.”
But Manton had wagered all his ready money on the game and had nothing
left with which to pay the thug. He resolved, however, to get rid of
Cassidy, if possible.
“Wait until after the game,” he said. “I’ll have some money then.”
“How’s dat?”
“I’ve bet all my ready money on the game.”
“Tell it ter somebody else!”
“It’s straight.”
“How did you bet?”
“On the Outcasts.”
“Den yer will have money, fer dey’ll win in a walk. Yer won’t be able
ter make no squeal arter der game.”
“No danger of that. I’ll pay you then.”
“All right; I’ll stay wid yer till I git me coin.”
That did not suit Manton, who had no liking for the company of Pink
Cassidy.
“You move!” he exclaimed. “I’m taking no chances. Merriwell may spot
you.”
“If youse t’ink yer goin’ ter git rid o’ me dat way, ye’re makin’ a
mistake,” said Pink. “I’ll move, but I’m goin’ ter watch ye close, an’
I’ll nab yer der moment der game is over. You won’t dodge me in der
crowd.”
“I shan’t try. I may want you some other time, and I’m willing to do
the right thing.”
“Dat soun’s good, but I t’ink ye’re willin’ ’cause ye can’t help it.
I’m onter your curves.”
“Think anything you like, but slide out of this.”
Repeating his promise to see Manton after the game, Cassidy moved.
Manton, Frost, and Necker breathed easier.
“He’s a dangerous ruffian,” hissed Frost. “You can’t tamper with him,
Hobe.”
“I’ll tamper with him!” growled Manton. “If I wasn’t worrying about
being spotted by Merriwell, I’d give him all that was coming, and don’t
you forget it!”
“Are you going to pay him any money after the game?
“Not on your life! Not a dollar to that thug! When the game is over and
the crowd begins to move I’ll take chances. If he bothers me, I’ll give
him a sleeping slug on the jaw.”