“After us, is he? I suppose he is looking for a game with our team?”
“That’s just it,” nodded McGann. “We have an idea that you will be fruit for us, although we hope you’ll be strong enough to make the game fairly interesting, in case you are not afraid to play us.”
Hodge muttered something under his breath. It always irritated Bart to have any one insinuate that the Merries were afraid of anything on the diamond.
“It’s a fine thing to have a good opinion of yourself,” smiled Frank. “Evidently you are not troubled by modesty, Mr. McGann. Considering what your team has done, I don’t know that I blame you.”
“Will you give us a game?”
“We’ll be delighted.”
“You bet!” put in Hodge.
“Of course,” said McGann shrewdly, “we’ll give you a fair deal. We’ll furnish the grounds, pay all expenses of advertising and pay you a hundred dollars for a game next Saturday afternoon. We can play in Hoboken if I engage the ground to-night.”
“Such generosity is altogether surprising!” said Frank, with bland sarcasm. “Aren’t you afraid you can’t afford it?”
“I thought that would be satisfactory,” said McGann. “I understand you chaps are playing for sport. Have you any salaried men on your team?”