Joe rose from his chair and began to pace the room restlessly. His two companions exchanged a significant glance. They believed that Joe’s cupidity had been aroused and they were perfectly willing to have him take all the time he wanted to mull over in his mind the enchantment of that fifty thousand dollars.
At last Joe resumed his seat.
“I didn’t quite get what you meant by that reference to something that I might be able to do for you in the future,” he said.
Tompkinson and Harrish felt pretty sure that Joe had risen to the bait. Still they proceeded warily.
“Oh, nothing but what you might be able to do for us easily and with perfect safety,” replied Tompkinson. “Just think for a moment of what you said a little while ago about sticking to your own game. That game is baseball. Naturally, it would be in the baseball game that you would be able to be of service to us.”
“For instance?” asked Joe.
“Well,” replied Tompkinson, “everybody knows that you’re the mainstay of the Giants. You’re the keystone of the whole team. Whether the Giants win or lose the pennant this year depends more on you than any one else.”
“I don’t admit that,” replied Joe. “The Giants had won more than one pennant before I joined it. They can do it again.”
“Ah, but that was when they had Hughson as their star pitcher,” put in Harrish. “He carried the team on his back for a dozen years or so. Now you’ve taken Hughson’s place—in fact, you’ve more than taken it, for Hughson in his best days never approached your record. That’s why the Giants have won the pennant for the last three years in succession. And they’ll win it again this year if you keep up the pace at which you’ve started.”
“Let that pass,” said Joe. “Just what have you got in mind?”