“But we have no cage, and they are expensive things,” observed Beecham.
“Pass round the hat,” remarked Shealey promptly; "of course Roy will help us as usual. He is always generous with his money; just the fellow who deserves to have plenty of it.”
“Yes, that's true,” said Jones, “and I suppose his cousin, young Garrett, has plenty of cash to spare too, but I doubt whether he will be as generous as Roy has always been. Thanksgiving day will be
here in ten days, and we ought to have the pitching cage ready when the football season closes.”
“What will Mr. Shalford say about it?” asked Beecham.
“Oh! he will leave it all to us, that's sure; but we may expect his one proviso which he is very strong on, and that is, as you know, that we do not go into debt.”
“Very good,” said Jack. “Then we had better begin at once. Here comes Garrett. I'll try him first.”
Beecham explained the project to Garrett, and then asked him whether he would help them out. His first words rang with a false note.
“Has my cousin given anything?”he asked.
“Not yet. We have not seen him yet. You are the first that has been asked.”