A HARD PROPOSITION.
Directly after lunch Frank had Toots harness a span of fast steppers,
attach them to the double-seated surrey and bring the team round to the
front door.
Merriwell, Mulloy, and Gallup sprang into the surrey, waving adieus to
the jolly party that had gathered on the veranda to see them off.
"Which way, Marsa Frank?" asked Toots, as they reached the gate.
"To Wellsburg," answered Merriwell, "and get us there in a hurry. Show
us what these ponies can do over twenty miles of good country road."
"Yes, sah," grinned the colored man, "Ah'll let de hosses out a notch or
two, sah, jes' as soon as we git frough de village."
It was a beautiful drive to Wellsburg over an unusually level and
well-made strip of road. The distance was covered in good time, and the
team finally stopped in front of the Wellsburg Bank.
"Take the team round to the Franklin Square Hotel, Toots," directed
Merry. "See that the horses are properly cared for. We'll drive back in
time for dinner."
Mulloy and Gallup followed Frank into the bank. Merry called for the
cashier. When the gentleman appeared and greeted him cordially, Frank
said:
"Mr. Casin, I wish to introduce two of my friends, Mr. Barney Mulloy and
Mr. Ephraim Gallup."
"Glad to know you, gentlemen," bowed the cashier, as he shook hands with
both.
"These young men wish to become depositors in your bank," explained
Merriwell. "They both have an account with the Phoenix National Bank,
but it is their intention to close out that account and transfer the
money to this bank."
"We'll be very pleased to have Mr. Mulloy and Mr. Gallup as depositors,"
bowed the cashier.
"They will each give you a check on the Phoenix Bank," said Frank. "I'll
indorse those checks, if that will make it satisfactory to you, sir."
"Wholly satisfactory, Mr. Merriwell," asserted Casin.
Mulloy and Gallup produced check books and proceeded to draw checks at a
standing desk used for that purpose by depositors. These checks were
made payable to the Wellsburg First National Bank, and Merriwell
indorsed both of them. Casin himself received the checks, and Frank
observed a slight expression of surprise on his face as he noted the
sums for which they were drawn.
"Ten thousand dollars each," he said. "Is that right?"
"Yes, sor," answered Barney, "thot's right, sor. It's within two hundrid
av all Oi have in the Phoenix Bank. Oi'll use up the remainin' two
hundrid av Oi see fit by drawin' on it, but for the prisint Oi think
Oi'll let it remain there as a nist egg. Oi've noticed nist eggs are
moighty foine things to hav', av ye kept thim warm. They sometoimes
hatch out all roight, all roight."
No one had noticed the quiet entrance of a man, who stood unobtrusively
near, listening to the talk. With a yawn, this man now advanced, saying:
"I beg your pardon, gentlemen. I presume it's very rude, but I need some
change right away in order to pay a sum to a man who wishes to catch a
train. I've been unable to get this hundred-dollar bill changed. Would
you mind if the cashier stopped long enough to change it for me?"
The speaker was Casper Silence, backer of the Rovers baseball team.
"Niver a bit do we moind," answered Barney. "It's all roight, sor; go
ahead."
"Yes, go ahead," nodded Gallup. "We've gut loads of time."
Silence pushed the hundred-dollar bill through to the cashier, who
glanced at it critically, asked what sort of change he desired and then
gave, at his request, five tens and ten fives.
"I'm very much obliged, gentlemen--very much obliged," said Silence,
bowing to Mulloy and Gallup. "I hope I haven't interfered with you, Mr.
Merriwell."
"Not in the least," answered Frank.
"Do you think we'll have good weather for the game to-morrow?"
"The indications are that the weather will be all right."
"And are you still confident that we will be able to bring out a
thousand people or more?"
"Quite confident," laughed Frank. "One of my errands in Wellsburg is to
get a notice of the game into a newspaper here. I thought of looking Mr.
Bearover up for the purpose of obtaining some facts concerning the
Rovers, which might interest the newspaper readers."
"I can give you any information you desire," said Silence. "In fact, I
have it here on this printed slip. Here's a whole history of the team
and the players who make up the team. You'll see we've lost no games
this season. If you'll read this slip through, you'll learn beyond
question that our players form the most remarkable independent baseball
organization ever assembled in this country."
While talking he had produced a leather pocketbook, from which he took a
printed slip at least six inches long. This he handed to Frank.
As Silence opened the pocketbook both Mulloy and Gallup observed that it
was well stuffed with bank notes, and the one on top proved to be
another hundred-dollar bill.
"I don't wish to take up your time, Mr. Merriwell," said Silence, in his
languid, drawling manner, "but I'll just run over the players so that
you'll understand who they are and get an idea of the records they have
made. You met Mike McCann, our shortstop. He's from Charleston, of the
South Atlantic League, and he knows the game from A to Z. Toby Mertez,
our right fielder, is a New England Leaguer, having played on the
Nashua, N. H., team last year. Jack Grifford, our center fielder, is
from Youngstown, the champions of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League. Hoke
Holmes comes from Birmingham, in the Southern League. 'Peep' O'Day is
the old National Leaguer, who was supposed to be down and out, but he
astonished every one by his work with Jersey City, in the Eastern
League, last year. He's our third baseman. Bill Clover, who covers the
second sack, comes from Portland, of the Pacific Coast League. Sim
Roach, who gambols in our left garden, is from Los Angeles, of the same
league. 'Bang' Bancroft was the second catcher of the champion Pueblo
team, in the Western League. Bancroft obtained the nickname of Bang
through his slugging year before last. It's possible you've never heard
of 'Mitt' Bender, our crack pitcher. He's been playing independent
baseball, but the Boston Americans were hot after him this year. I had
to open up handsomely in order to hold him. Our second pitcher is Mike
Davis, who's had much more experience than Bender, but who can't pitch
more than one game a week and do his best. When we go up against a light
team we use Toby Mertez in the box and save both Bender and Davis. Now I
think you understand the sort of team we have."
"Well," said Frank, "unless your men are has-beens they ought to make a
hot combination."
"We haven't a has-been in the bunch," asserted Silence quietly. "I think
you'll find the combination hot enough to suit you, Mr. Merriwell. I
understand you've never been batted hard. I understand that no team has
ever obtained more than eight or ten hits off you in a game. We have an
aggregation of hitters, and the chances are you'll get a proper good
drubbing to-morrow."
"You alarm me," said Frank. "Like any other pitcher, I have been bumped
in my time."
"In that case the experience may not seem so unpleasant to-morrow,"
drawled Silence. "Fifteen or twenty hits are nothing for the Rovers.
We've averaged ten hits through the whole season."
"Oi'll bet a hundrid dollars ye don't git tin hits to-morrow!" exploded
Mulloy, unable to keep silent longer.
"I'll have to take that bet," said the backer of the Rovers.
"Oh, no," interposed Frank; "I object. I don't think there'll be any
betting as far as my players are concerned. Keep your money in your
pocket, Mulloy."
Silence smothered a slight yawn behind his hand.
"I'm sorry you're so frightened, Merriwell," he said. "I'm sorry you
haven't any more nerve. That hundred dollars would help me along in
defraying expenses."
"Waal, gol derned if he don't figure it aout that he'd have the hundred
cinched if he made the bet!" spluttered Gallup.
"I should consider it as good as mine the moment the money was posted,"
nodded Silence. "As long as we can't make a little wager, I'll move
along and pay off the gentleman who is waiting for me. See you
to-morrow. Good day."
He bowed himself out and leisurely walked away.
"Dod rap him!" snapped Gallup. "I'd like to take some of the conceit
aout of him! We've gut to beat them Rovers to-morrer, Merry! If we
don't, I'll be the sorest feller you can find in seventeen States and
seven Territories!"
"I don't know where you'd discover so many Territories," laughed Frank.
"We'll do our best to beat them, boys; but we're not in good practice,
you know."
"Begorra, we've been practicin' ivery day for a week!" came from Mulloy.
"That sort of practice isn't like regular games," reminded Merry. "We
need to play a few games in order to get into first-class form."
The cashier now passed out a little bank book to each of the depositors,
and followed it up with check books for their use.
"Well, gentlemen," he said, "I hope this is the beginning of a long and
pleasant acquaintance between us. Mr. Merriwell is one of our most
valued depositors. He's doing a great work for the little town of
Bloomfield. We regret very much he's not a citizen of Wellsburg.
Bloomfield should be proud of him. I know it is proud of him. Wellsburg
is proud of him, too. The whole county--the whole State is proud of
him."
"By gum! I kinder think yeou've narrered it daown too narrer, Mr.
Carson," said Ephraim. "I kinder guess the whole blamed country is proud
of him."
"I stand corrected," laughed the cashier. "I realize his fame extends
much farther than the borders of our State. Yes, I believe you're right,
Mr. Gallup--I believe the whole country is proud of Mr. Merriwell as a
representative young man of to-day."
After leaving the bank Frank said:
"I have some business of my own to look after now, and I need a witness.
One of you might come along with me."
They both volunteered, but he explained that both were not needed,
although they might come if they chose. Mulloy insisted on accompanying
him.
"Waal, then, by hemlock," said Gallup, "I'll kinder ramble raound over
taown and see the sights. Arter being buried daown in Mexico for the
biggest part of a year, it seems all-fired good to git where there's
people movin', street cars runnin', and plenty doin'. Where'll I meet
yeou, boys?"
"Meet us at the Franklin Square Hotel at four o'clock," answered Merry.
"We'll be ready to start within ten minutes after four."
Not more than five or ten minutes after parting from Frank and Barney,
Gallup came face to face with a man who stepped squarely in front of him
and held out a pudgy hand.
"How do you do," said this man. "I'm glad to see you, young fellow. Saw
you drive through with Merriwell. Did he bring that wonderful educated
horse with him?"
It was Basil Bearover, the manager of the Rovers.