“Now look here,” said Hammerswell, facing his companion on the bench, “it’s best that you should know the absolute truth. I can’t pay you that money because I haven’t got it. All my money is gone, with the exception of what I’ve bet on the final game to be played to-morrow. Even if I win I can’t give you a thousand. Five hundred would be the limit. I must win, and I believe I shall. I have risked everything on the result. We play two games in Fairhaven.”
“How does this baseball business stand?” asked Grimes. “You oughter be on top after all your schemes and plans. I suppose you are.”
“No. Maplewood and Fairhaven are tied in second position, having played forty-four games each, winning twenty-two of them. Rockford and Seaslope have played forty-five games each. Rockford is on top, as she has won twenty-three and lost twenty-two. Seaslope is at the bottom, having won twenty-two and lost twenty-three. Rockford and Seaslope have only one game more to play. If Rockford wins she will hold first place, although Maplewood may tie her. To do so we must win both games from Fairhaven. If Rockford loses and we win both games we’ll go into first position, while Fairhaven will go plumb to the bottom.”
“But what if Rockford loses and Fairhaven wins both games?” asked Hammerswell’s companion.
“It won’t happen!” savagely declared Hammerswell. “It can’t happen!”
“But what if it does?” persisted the other man.
“Why, Fairhaven would win the pennant. She’d have twenty-four games to her credit.”
“Where would Maplewood land?” asked Grimes, with a touch of maliciousness in his voice.
“At the bottom,” confessed Hammerswell.
“And you’d be bu’sted?”