That game was still nearly two weeks off. When that game was played the Hillcrest team would be back from their airplane cruise.
“Will it be a triumphant return?” he asked himself. “Will they bring home the money needed to make the ball field truly our own?” He thought of the short dark man who had seemed so determined that Irons O should not be a success. He thought of the two strangers, of the Chinaman Tao Sing, and of the Federal agents. “In that time,” he told himself, “anything may happen, just anything at all.” And, as you shall see, many things did happen.
CHAPTER XVII
A NARROW ESCAPE
“Look, Meg!” Johnny’s voice was close to a whisper. “See those two slim fellows that seem to be just hanging around in front of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce?”
“Sure.” Meg’s eyes shone. “Who are they, Johnny?”
“Don’t matter just now.” Johnny’s tone was full of mystery. “I want you to do something for me. Those fellows are looking for a little Chinaman named Tao Sing. I want to know why. You ask them why for me, will you?”
“Sure, Johnny.” Meggy laughed. She thought he was joking. “And they’ll tell me just like that!”
“No.” Johnny was serious. “No, Meg, they won’t. They’ll not tell you, but they will tell me.”
“Tell you?” Meggy stared.
“Sure. You know when you ask a person about a thing, he is sure to think the answer. He may not say it, but he thinks it all the same. That’s enough. I’ll be lurking in the shadow of that pillar. I’ll get the answer.”