It was plain that Spencer was loath to believe such a thing about any person.
“Why should Mr. Harlow betray us?” he asked, in an undecided way.
“That’s it!” cried Rolf, catching at this as a drowning person might catch at a floating chip. “Why should I do such a thing?”
“He’ll do anything for money!” scornfully exclaimed Jack Diamond.
“And the Alexandria fellows have money to burn,” came from Fred Dobbs. “They are furious because we won the championship of the Potomac last year, and they mean to win it back this year by fair means or foul. I can understand why they should buy up our coach.”
“But Harlow has seemed to work for our interest thus far,” said another. “Surely we have improved under his coaching.”
“If you hadn’t you would not have confidence in him as a coach, would you?” asked Jack.
“No, of course not.”
“Well, that’s just where he has been playing his card shrewdly. He wanted you to have enough confidence so you would make up your crew at the last minute just as he directed. That would settle it.”
Harlow saw the case had gone against him.