“You’re telling me straight?” he demanded.
“Sure.” Pat grinned, and added impudently: “Cub’s honor!”
Dan felt completely deflated. He knew without checking that Pat had spoken the truth. For some unknown reason, Mr. Weldon has hustled his son away from the gymnasium. Deliberately, he had welched on his promise to clear the Cubs! Now the true story might never be disclosed publicly.
“Say, you are sick,” Pat said with concern. “Anything I can do?”
Dumbly, Dan shook his head. “You’ve done it already,” he said. “The Cubs lost everything they valued tonight.”
“I don’t get it,” Pat said, looking puzzled. “You won the game, didn’t you?”
“What’s a game? More than victory or anything else, the Cubs cherished their good name in the community.”
Pat stared at Dan a moment. “What’s that got to do with me?” he demanded.
“I think you know, I’d hoped that tonight the Cubs might clear themselves of the untruths that have been told about them. Now I know that chance is gone.”
With dignity, Dan turned and walked away from Pat into the dressing room.