“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed reluctantly. “But does that mean that we’re going to lie down and let those rascals carry out their plans?”
“Not by a jugful!” answered Joe. “We’re going to have those fellows tripped and hog-tied before they know where they’re at. But we’re going to do it so quietly that the outside world won’t get on to it. Trust me, Mac, to handle this matter myself.”
“There’s no one that could do it better; I’m sure of that,” admitted the manager. “But you haven’t answered my question yet. Have you any idea who’s doing this?”
“I have an idea,” affirmed Joe. “But I don’t want to do any one an injustice, and I’m not going to mention names until I’m sure I have the goods on them. Just leave them to my tender mercies, Mac, and trust in my lucky star. You know I’m lucky,” he added, with a grin, “or I wouldn’t be alive and whole to-day.”
“It isn’t luck. It’s brains and pluck,” corrected the manager. “You weren’t behind the door when those things were handed out. I’ll leave it to you, then, Joe. But, for the love of goodness, be careful. You bet I’ll keep my own eyes peeled, too, from now on.”
Robson and some of the other players came along just then and the conversation turned into other channels. But several times on the train ride back to New York Joe caught McRae’s eyes turned on him with a worried expression, and he knew what his manager was thinking about.
The next morning Joe was on his way downtown on a business errand when he saw McCarney and Hupft get on the platform of a subway train as it stopped at a station. For a moment they seemed about to enter the car in which he was sitting, but they changed their minds and went into the car ahead.
Joe was quite sure they had not seen him, and it occurred to him that here was an opportunity to follow his renegade team mates and perhaps discover something of the plot in which they were engaged.
He kept a sharp eye on them, moving up to the front of his own car to note their movements better, and when he saw them rise as the train was slowing up at a station he followed suit, taking care to keep in the rear of the mass of passengers as they hurried out.
The two plotters turned westward and pursued their way, talking earnestly, toward a disreputable section of the city near the river front. At the door of a saloon they halted and looked around. Joe had slipped behind an elevated road pillar and they did not see him.