"I'm with you, Merry!" said Carson.
"You know you can depend on me!" rumbled Browning.
"Begorra, it will suit me clane down to the ground!" came from Mulloy.
"Waugh!" exploded Badger. "You can bank on the whole bunch of us, Frank. That's whatever!"
"But what inducement have we to come here?" demanded Bearover. "This is a little dried-up country town, and we couldn't turn out a hundred and fifty people to see that game. We've gut to make expenses somehow."
"If you decide to play us here, and the weather's favorable, I'll guarantee a thousand paid spectators. It's a safe guarantee, and in all probability there'll be two or three thousand persons here. I'll have the game announced by the Wellsburg Herald. I'll see that it is advertised in the neighboring towns. We do not depend on Bloomfield alone for our spectators. They come in from all the surrounding towns. We'll play with the understanding that the winning team takes the entire gate receipts. If we win, we'll donate the money to some charitable purpose. If you win, you may do whatever you please with it."
"Will you make a written guarantee that there'll be at least a thousand paid admissions?" asked Bearover.
"With the weather favorable," assented Frank.
The manager of the Rovers turned to Silence.
"What do you say, Casper?" he asked. "We haven't any game for to-morrow, and we can't arrange one unless we accept this man's terms."