“Well, what is?” asked Tom, smiling at Sid’s vehemence. “Might as well get it out of your system and you’ll feel better.”
“Oh, you know what it is as well as I do,” went on Sid. “There’s no use trying to ignore it any longer. I’ve tried to fight shy of it and so have some of the other fellows, but what’s the use? It’s enough to make a fellow disgusted so he’ll never play on the nine again.”
“You mean——” began Tom.
“I mean that Langridge isn’t playing fair. He doesn’t train. He’s been drinking and smoking on the sly and staying up nights gambling. There’s no use mincing words now. I caught him drinking in his dressing-room to-day, and he was in a blue funk for fear I’d tell. Said he had a weak heart and the doctor had told him to take it. Weak heart! Rats! He drinks because he likes it. I tell you if we don’t look out, we’ll be the laughing stock of the Tonoka Lake League. Langridge can put himself on edge with a drink of that vile stuff and do good work for one or two innings, maybe. Then he’ll go all to pieces and where will we be? I know. We’ll be tailenders, and it will be his fault. It’s a shame! Some one ought to tell Lighton.”
“Why don’t you?” asked Tom quietly.
“Oh, you know I can’t. No one could go peach like that.”
“I know. I asked you about it once when I discovered what ailed Langridge. You remember what you said?”
“Yes, and I almost wish I’d told you to go and tell. The team would be better off now, even if it was against tradition and ethics and all that rot. It makes me sick! Here we are to go up against a hard proposition to-morrow and every other fellow on the team is as fit as a fiddle except Langridge. He seems to think it’s a joke.”