“Oh, we’re not as important as all that,” protested Joe. “There was a Giant team before we were ever heard of, and chances are there will be one after we’re buried and forgotten. The team is right up among the leaders, and they ought to be able to cop the pennant, anyway.”
“Up wid the leaders is right, me bye, but stayin’ there is another matter,” said Larry. “Why is ut that when we’re wid the leaders, as you so truly remarked but a short time ago, that everybody’s bettin’ against us? It looks as though some of the baseball sharps wuz bankin’ pretty heavy on the Giants losin’ the pennant. Am Oi right or am Oi not?”
“The gamblers don’t know everything, not by a long shot,” observed Jim. “Often their plans slip up on a banana peel. Don’t they, Joe?”
“Yes, once in a while,” replied his friend, grinning. “But, anyway, Larry, here we are back in the game, so what do you suppose the gamblers will do now?”
“Faith, an’ Oi think if it’s wise they are, they’ll bet on the Giants, instid of aginst thim,” said Larry. “We’ll wipe up the diamond wid thim other teams now. That is,” he added, “if we don’t git double crossed by some of the fellers on our own team. That’s the thing that’s worryin’ me now, an’ Oi don’t care who knows it.”
Joe and Jim exchanged glances.
“Whom do you mean?” asked the former.
“An’ who should Oi mean but thim two, McCarney an’ Hupft?” demanded Larry, in a belligerent tone. “You fellers know who Oi mean, well enough. For phwat did ye take that pop fly away from McCarney the other day, Jim, if ut wasn’t because you had a hunch that he wouldn’t field ut? Some of the other fellers didn’t get on to what wuz in back o’ that play, but you can’t fool yer Uncle Larry so easy.”
“Well, there’s no use denying that we are suspicious of those two birds, to say the least,” admitted Joe. “But just keep that under your hat, Larry, and don’t talk to the other fellows about it. We want to get the goods on McCarney and Hupft before we make any move to get them off the team.”
“That sounds raysonable,” admitted Larry. “But I gave one o’ thim birds a piece o’ me mind yesterday, and I wish now Oi’d taken a swing at his left ear for luck.”