They went out of the clubhouse and made their way across the field. The bleachers were already full and there were only a few vacant spots in the grandstand. As Joe and Jim were recognized a vigorous handclapping rose from the spectators that told of the place they had in the affections of the fans.
“Did you catch what Willis was saying about Lemblow?” Jim asked of Joe, as they got out of earshot of the others.
“I got it all right,” replied Joe. “And I tumbled to your question about his looks. You thought that the description fitted the fellow that pushed that pile of lumber down on us.”
“Fits him to a dot,” affirmed Jim emphatically. “The same hair and the same ears. And this fellow, too, was tall and thin. And what did I tell you about the way he ran? Only a trained athlete could have legged it that way.”
“It certainly looks as though you’d hit it right,” admitted Joe thoughtfully. “Under ordinary circumstances it wouldn’t be possible, for he’d be playing with his team out West. But there’s the fact that he’s been laying off for a couple of weeks on account of his injured finger. That would make it possible for him to come on East. And if he’s so crazy to break into the big league, what would give him a better chance than to have one of us, or possibly both of us, disabled? It may all be a coincidence, but if it is, it’s one of the queerest things that ever happened.”
“Then, too, there’s his reputation,” rejoined Jim. “What Iredell said about his not being on the level only fits in with what I’ve heard from others. He got into trouble near the end of last season about one or two games that looked crooked, and it took a good deal of hushing up to smooth the thing over. Now, putting all these things together, doesn’t it look just as clear as that two and two make four?”
“Not quite so certain as that, perhaps,” replied Joe. “But it certainly looks as though we were getting a line on what happened to us this morning. Now if we can only find that there’s some connection between Lemblow and Hupft and McCarney, a good many puzzling things will be explained. But there’s McRae beckoning to us to get up to the plate and knock flies out to the fields in practice. Just keep your eye peeled, old boy, and I’ll do the same. There never yet was a skein so tangled that it couldn’t be unraveled if you only get your hand on the end of the thread. And I think we’ve got the end in our hands right now.”