Part 11 (1/2)

Hartley hesitated a moment, but took Jim's advice and with a muttered threat went on his way.

”Mad as a March hare,” murmured Jim, as they watched the retreating figure.

”Do a man a favor and he'll never forgive you,” quoted Joe.

”Where did he get his grouch against you?” asked Hughson, curiously.

”Search me,” replied Joe. ”I think it dates from the time when he was batted out of the box and Mac sent me in to take his place. I won the game and Bugs has been sore at me ever since. He figured that I tried to show him up.”

”I wonder how he got here?” mused Hughson. ”The last time I saw him was in New York, and the money I lent him wasn't enough to bring him on.”

”Perhaps Mac gave him transportation,” suggested Jim.

”Not on your life,” rejoined Hughson. ”Mac's got a heart as big as a house, but he hates a traitor. You see, though, Joe, I was right in giving you the tip. Keep your eyes open, old man.”

Joe was about to make a laughing reply, but just at that moment Larry and Denton came along with broad smiles of welcome on their faces, and the unpleasant episode was forgotten.

It was a jolly party that left Chicago the next morning for the trip around the world. The managers had chartered a special train which was made up wholly of Pullman sleepers, a dining car and a smoker.

It was travel _de luxe_, and the sumptuous train was to be their home for the full month that would elapse before they reached the coast.

”Rather soft, eh, for the poor baseball slaves,” grinned Jim, as he stretched out his long legs luxuriously and gazed out of the window at the flying telegraph poles.

”This is the life,” chanted Larry Barrett.

”Nothing to do till to-morrow,” chimed in Denton. ”And not much even then.”

”Don't you boys go patting yourselves on the back,” smiled Robbie, looking more like a cherub than ever, as he stopped beside their seats on his way along the aisle. ”These games, remember, are to be the real thing--there's going to be no sloppy or careless work just because you're not playing for the champions.h.i.+p. They're going to be fights from the time the gong rings till the last man is out in the ninth inning.”

If Robbie wanted action, he got it, and the first games had a snap and vim about them that augured well for the success of the trip. It is true that the players had not the stimulus that comes from a fight for the pennant, but other motives were not lacking.

There was one game which was a nip-and-tuck affair from start to finish.

At the end of the fourth inning the score stood 1 to 1, and at the end of the sixth inning the score had advanced so that it stood 2 to 2.

”Say, we don't seem to be getting anywhere in this game,” remarked Jim to Joe.

”Oh, well, we've got three more innings to play,” was the answer.

In the seventh inning a most remarkable happening occurred. The All-Americans had three men on bases with n.o.body out. It looked as if they might score, but Joe took a sudden brace and pitched the next man at the bat out in one-two-three order.

The next man up knocked a pop fly, which Joe gathered in with ease.

”That's the way to do it, Joe!” sang out one of his companions. ”Now go for the third man!”

The third fellow to the bat was a notable hitter, and nearly every one thought he would lace out at least a two-bagger, bringing in probably three runs. Instead, however, he knocked two fouls, and then sent a liner down to first base, which the baseman caught with ease; and that ended the chance for scoring.

”That's pulling it out of the fire!” cried McRae. The showing had been a good one, but what made the inning so remarkable was the fact that in one-two-three order the Giants got the bases filled exactly as they had been filled before. Then, more amazing still, the next man was pitched out, the second man knocked a pop fly to the pitcher, and it was Joe himself, coming to the bat, hit out a liner to third base, which was gathered in by the baseman, thus ending the Giants hope of scoring.

”Well, what do you know about that!” cried Brennan. ”The inning on each side was exactly alike, with the exception that our third man out flied to first base, while your man flied to third.”