The three of them left his office with darkened faces. They were seriously worried, not only over the game of the next day, but over Jim’s personal safety. Like Jim, Dick and Brady knew of many cases when death or serious illness had been the result of such an adventure, and they had grave fears of Jim’s fate unless he were speedily rescued. They knew that he was alert and resourceful, and that in any ordinary emergency he could be trusted to look after himself, but there was nothing ordinary about this case, and the chances of escape from such a prison, if he were really caught in that way, were pretty slim.
“He never was locked in that car accidentally,” said Brady. “We can be sure of that. Some one who knew exactly what he was about, and had planned the whole thing out ahead is responsible for this outrage. If I get my hands on him, he won’t be in condition to do anything of the sort again in a hurry. I’ll promise him that.”
“You’ve got to catch him first,” said Watson, sadly shaking his head.
Suddenly Brady gave a cry, and, darting behind a coal car, reappeared a moment later dragging a reluctant captive by the scruff of his neck.
“Parker!” cried Dick Merriwell, as he recognized the defeated football man. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s my own business,” said Parker angrily. “I’ve got as much right here as you have, I guess.”
“If you can prove that you had nothing to do with locking Jim Phillips up in a freight car in which he may starve to death before he’s rescued, perhaps that’s so,” said Dick.
Brady kept his hold on Parker’s collar all the while, in spite of the big guard’s frantic efforts to wrench himself free. He was no match for the catcher in strength, although he had supposed that there was no man in Yale who could equal him in any physical encounter.
“What’s that?” cried Parker. “You say Phillips is locked in a freight car?”
He ceased struggling, and stood still, in Brady’s grip. Dick Merriwell, who prided himself on his ability to tell whether or not a man was lying, was sure that Parker was truthful in the expression of his surprise. He had evidently not known of Jim’s fate, no matter what part he might have played in the conspiracy.