THE WARNING
"Hello! there, Jack, you're wanted!"
The boys were practicing on the following afternoon when this hail
reached the ears of the first baseman, diligently stopping terrific
grounders that came from the bat of substitute catcher, Hemming, the
best man on the nine for this sort of work.
So Jack trotted in toward the group near the bench. A score or two of
boys, with also a sprinkling of enthusiastic girls, had gathered to
watch and admire the different plays which were put through, and to
generously applaud any especially clever one.
Jack saw a boy leave the group and advance toward him. He felt a little
apprehension when he recognized Bailey, the smart shortstop of the
famous Harmony nine. What did this mean? Could it be possible that those
fellows of the other town had gotten "cold feet" after the last game,
and were about to withdraw from the match to play out the tie?
Jack could hardly believe such a thing possible. He knew and respected
Martin, the gentlemanly captain of the rival team, too well, to think he
would show the white feather. Why, it would be talked about all through
the county, and Harmony could never again make any boast. Oh! no,
something of a minor nature must have come up, and Martin wished to
consult with the captain of the Chester nine in advance--possibly some
local ground rule had been framed which, in all honor, he believed the
others ought to know about before the time came to apply it.
"Hello! Jack!" said Bailey with the easy familiarity that boys in
general show when dealing with one another, though they may even be
comparative strangers.
"Glad to see you, Bailey," returned the other. "What brings you over
this way again? Anything new come up?"
None of the other players had followed Bailey when he advanced. They
seemed to take it for granted that if it was any of their business, Jack
would be sure to call them up.
"Why, something has happened that we thought you fellows ought to know
about," continued the shortstop of the Harmony team, with a little trace
of confusion in his manner.
"And Captain Martin sent you over as a messenger, is that it, Bailey?"
asked Jack, shaking hands cordially; for he had liked the other chap
through all the two games already played; Bailey was clean in everything
he did, and that sort of a boy always appealed to Jack Winters,
detesting fraud and trickery as he did.
"That's it, Jack. He gave me this note to deliver; and I'm to answer any
questions you may see fit to ask."
There was something a bit queer in the other's manner as he said this;
and the way in which he thrust out a sealed envelope at the same time
smacked of the dramatic. Jack took it with rising curiosity. Really,
this began to assume a more serious aspect than he had at first thought
could be possible. It was therefore with considerable interest he tore
off the end of the envelope, and pulled out the enclosure, which proved
to be a full page of writing easily deciphered.
Since it is necessary that the contents of that missive should be
understood by the reader we shall take the liberty of looking over
Jack's shoulder and devouring Martin's letter as eagerly as the
recipient did.
"To the Captain and Members of the Chester Baseball Team:
"We, the entire Harmony baseball organization, take this method of
warning you that it is more than half suspected there is a miserable
plot afloat to cause you fellows to lose the game next Saturday through
a fluke. It may not be true, but we believe it to be our duty to put you
on your guard, because we would disdain to profit by any such trickery
bordering on a crime. There are some reckless sports up from the city,
who have been wagering heavily on our winning out. After the game last
Saturday, it seems that they have begun to get cold feet, and believe
that Harmony might not have such a soft snap as they thought when they
made all those heavy wagers. Needless to state the boys of the team do
not share in their fears, for we are perfectly confident that we can
down you again, as we did in the first game. But we would be ashamed if
anything happened to cast the slightest doubt on the glory of our
anticipated victory. We believe you Chester fellows to be an honorable
lot and no matter whoever wins we want it to be a victory as clean and
honest as they make them. We intend to have men on the watch for crooked
business. One thing we beg you to do, which is to set a guard on your
water-bucket, and _allow no one not a player on your side to go
anywhere near it!_ There have been occasions on record where dope was
given through the drinking water, that made players sick, and unable to
do their best in the game, thus losing for their side.
"We send you this, believing that you will give us full credit for being
lovers of clean sport. So keep in the pink of condition for Saturday,
and able to do your prettiest, for, believe us, you will have need of
every ounce of ability you possess, because Hendrix says he never felt
more fit in his life.
Signed CAPTAIN LEM MARTIN,
For the entire Harmony Baseball Team."
When Jack had finished reading this remarkable letter, the first thing
he did was characteristic of the boy--he reached out his hand toward
Bailey.
"Shake again, Bailey! I honor such sentiments, and believe me, the boys
of Chester will never forget such a friendly spirit as your team shows.
We, too, would refuse to play in a game where we had the slightest
reason to believe crooked work was going on, that would be to the
disadvantage of our adversaries."
The little shortstop's eyes glistened as he wrung Jack's hand.
"Glad to see you take it in the right spirit, old fellow," he hastened
to say. "We were horribly worked up when we got wind of this business
through sheer accident. Only a mean skunk like a tricky sport from the
city could dream of doing such a thing. But now it's come out, you'll
find that all Harmony will be on edge looking for signs of treachery
toward you fellows."
"How about telling the other boys?" inquired Jack.
"You're at perfect liberty to do that," the shortstop assured him. "In
fact, we expected you would. The sooner the news is carried through
Chester the better chance that nothing so low-down will be attempted;
and no matter how the game turns out, it will be clean. Much as we want
to win we all agree that we'd rather be badly licked by Chester than
have it ever said there was a shadow of fraud on our victory."
So Jack beckoned to the rest.
"Only the members of the team, subs. as well as regulars, are wanted
here!" he called aloud; and accordingly, they came forward, most of the
boys exchanging looks of natural curiosity, and doubtless fearing that
some hitch had occurred in the programme for the ensuing Saturday.
Judge of their amazement when Jack read aloud the letter from Captain
Martin. It seemed almost unbelievable to some of the boys. Others who
always made it a practice to glean all the baseball news in the city
papers that came to certain Chester homes, may have known that such evil
practices had been attempted occasionally, especially where unprincipled
men began to wager money on the result of championship games.
All of them seemed unanimously of the opinion that Harmony had evinced a
most laudable and sportsmanlike spirit in sending this strange warning.
It made them feel that in struggling for the mastery on the diamond with
such manly fellows, they were up against the right kind of foe-men.
Indeed, even a defeat at the hands of Harmony would not seem so dreadful
a disaster, now that they knew Martin and his crowd to be such good
fellows.
Bailey did not wait to listen to many of the remarks that followed the
reading of the letter. He could see that Chester had received the
warning in the same friendly spirit in which it had been sent; and this
was the news he meant to carry back with him.
"I want to own up they're a pretty decent bunch of ball players after
all!" declared Phil Parker, who had been known to say a few hard things
about the hustling Harmony boys after that first game, in which Jack's
team was given such a lively set-back.
"Glad you've found that out, Phil," remarked Steve Mullane, drily. "Next
time don't be so quick to judge your opponents. Because a chap happens
to be a hustler on the baseball or football field, isn't a sign that
he's anything of a brute in private life. Only the hustlers succeed on
the diamond. Umpire-baiters are sometimes the kind of men who are
bullied by a little bit of a woman at home."
"That's right for you, Steve!" declared Herbert Jones, nodding his head
in the affirmative. "I've got an uncle who used to be known as a regular
scorcher on the gridiron, and who gained the name of a terror; but, say,
you ought to see that big hulk wash dishes for Mrs. Jones, who can walk
under his arm. Why, in private life he's as soft as mush, and his
fog-horn voice is toned down to almost the squeak of a fiddle when he
sings the baby to sleep. It isn't always safe to judge a man by what he
does when he's playing ball."
"But just think of the meanness of those men wanting to put some kind of
dope in our drinking water!" ejaculated Fred Badger in evident anger.
"Why, they might have made some of us real sick in the bargain, as well
as lost us the game. Such scoundrels ought to be locked up; they're a
menace to any community."
"Well, Harmony town is responsible for pretty much all of this,"
suggested Jack. "They are letting things go along over there that sleepy
old Chester never would think of permitting. Those who sow the wind must
expect to reap the whirlwind sooner or later."
"Yes," added Toby Hopkins, with a snort, "they seemed to think it gave
tone to their games to have those city men come up and back Harmony with
money. Let's hope that after the lesson our worthy mayor set them last
Saturday and with this disgrace threatening their good name those
Harmony folks will get busy cleaning their Augean stables before any
real harm is done."
Every one had an opinion, and yet they were pretty much along similar
lines. The Chester boys thought it terrible that such a warning had to
be sent out; though of course they all gave Martin and his crowd full
credit for doing the right thing.
Jack was interested in watching Fred Badger, and listening to what he
had to say from time to time. Apparently Fred was as indignant as any of
them, and so far as Jack could tell there was not a particle of sham
about his fervent denunciation of the evil deed contemplated by those
strangers anxious to beat the Chester people, who wagered with them, out
of their money.
And yet what else could be expected of such men, accustomed to evil
ways, and earning their money at race-tracks and the like? What of a boy
who had the confidence of his mates on the team, conspiring to sell them
out for a bribe? Jack fairly writhed as he thought of it. Looking at
Fred's earnest face as he spoke he could not bring himself to fully
believe the other capable of attempting such a dastardly trick; and yet
Jack had his fears all the same.