“Why? What’s the matter? Nothing wrong I hope.”
“I don’t know,” answered Joe. “The note says I’m to come home at once. They’ve sent a carriage for me. I hope nothing has happened to—to anybody,” and gulping down a suspicious lump in his throat Joe followed the lad off the diamond.
CHAPTER XXV
JOE FOILS THE PLOTTERS
There was a carriage waiting just outside the ball grounds, a carriage drawn by one horse. A man whom Joe had never seen before, so far as he knew, held the reins.
“There’s the man who wants you,” explained the lad who had acted as messenger.
“Who is he?” asked the young pitcher quickly. “I don’t know him. Where did he come from? Where did you meet him?”
“I guess he’ll tell you all you want to know,” said the lad. “All I know is that I was standing outside the ball grounds after the game, and he give me that note to bring in to you. I didn’t come with him.”