[CHAPTER XV]
TROUBLE BREWING
Still Jackwell and Bowen stood mute, neither of them venturing to meet Joe’s gaze.
“If you don’t tell it to me, you’ll have to tell it to McRae,” suggested Joe. “I’m trying to let you down easy, without calling it to his attention. If we can settle it among ourselves, so much the better. Is it some trouble at home that’s weighing on your mind? Is it something about money matters? If it’s that, perhaps I can help you out.”
“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Matson,” said Jackwell, who seemed by common consent to be the spokesman for the two. “But it isn’t either of those two. It’s something else that neither Ben nor I are quite ready yet to talk about.
“I know very well that you have a right to know anything that’s interfering with our playing the game as it ought to be played. And I’ll admit, and I guess Ben will, too, that we were off our game to-day. But I think we’ll soon be able to settle the trouble so it won’t bother us any more.
“I wish you could see your way clear to give us a little more time. Let Ben and me have time to think and talk it over together. If we can settle the matter without letting any one else know about it, we’d much rather do so.”
Joe pondered for a moment.
“I’m willing to go as far as this,” he announced at last. “I’ll give you a little more time, on this condition. If I note any further falling off in your play, or you come to me with any excuses to be let off from a game, I’m going to come down on you like a load of brick. Then you’ll have to come across, and come across quick, or you’ll be put off the team. Do you understand?”
“That’s all right,” said Jackwell. “You won’t have any further cause to complain of me, Mr. Matson. I’ll play my very best.”
“I’ll work my head off to win,” declared Bowen.