CHAPTER XXVI

SAM RESIGNS

"Those desperate men! You must have them arrested at once!" exclaimed Mrs. Matson when Joe, a little later, had reached home, having left the horse and carriage at the local livery stable to be claimed. "You ought to go to the police at once, John! Why think of what might have happened to Joe," for the boy had told the whole story.

"Oh, it wasn't so bad," said Joe who, now that the excitement was over, and he had so completely turned the tables on the plotters, was rather inclined to laugh at the experience.

"There are worse things than that done to get possession of valuable patents," said Mr. Matson. "Those men are evidently desperate, though why Mr. Holdney should turn against me I cannot understand. But I would rather wait, and take no action right away. My work is almost finished and if all goes well I shall soon be independent of the harvester people. If, however, there is a slip-up I will be dependent on my position for a living. I think I will wait and see what develops."

But in the morning there was a new turn to affairs. It was announced at the harvester factory that Mr. Benjamin had gone away for an indefinite stay, and a new manager had his place. This made it unnecessary for Mr.

Matson to say anything. He wrote a strong letter of protest to Mr.

Holdney, and then worked harder than ever to get his patents in shape so he would be fully protected in them.

As for Joe he said nothing to any of his chums about his experience. The rig was claimed later by a man who would not give his name, and who drove off hurriedly, as if he feared arrest.

"And now I'm going to get back to baseball," announced the young pitcher.

His arm got better rapidly after the Academy game, and he was soon pitching in practice with his former vim and vigor. He was now regarded as the regular subst.i.tute twirler for the Silver Stars.

Sam Morton, too, was regular in his practice, and there seemed to be something different about him. He was more careful in his conduct, and not as surly as he had been. He accepted criticism in a better spirit, and in one game against the scrub he did such unusually excellent work that the manager complimented him.

"Just keep that up on Sat.u.r.day," said Darrell, "and we won't let the Fairdale Blues have a run."

"Oh, I'll be there with the goods all right," boasted Sam. He glanced at Joe as he said this as much as to intimate that his rival would not get a chance in the box.

The Fairdale Blues were a strong team, and, as they had beaten the Stars several times, and had also won from the Resolutes, who were considered the strongest team in the county, more than the usual interest attached to the coming contest.

It was to be played on the Stars' grounds, and early on the day of the game the grandstand and bleachers began to fill. The Blues arrived in several big carryalls with a noisy crowd of "rooters" carrying horns, bells and clappers--anything with which to make a racket.

"They'll get Sam's goat if he isn't careful," observed Rodney Burke, when the Stars went out to practice.

"Don't you fool yourself," retorted Sam. "I'm going to pitch a no-hit no-run game to-day."

"That's like Sam--boasting as usual," commented Rodney.

"Well, I think he'll make good," said an admirer of the pitcher.

"Wait until you see what kind of hitters the Blues have," cautioned Rodney. "They may knock Sam out of the box. Then if Joe goes in----"

"Aw, Joe won't get a chance to-day," was the retort. "He hasn't had enough practice."

"Look what he did to the Academy team," reminded Rodney.

And then further talk was stopped, for the gong rang to clear the diamond. The game was about to begin.

The Stars took the field, for they were to bat last, and Sam faced his first opponent with a smile of confidence on his face. It faded away a moment later, however, as the lad knocked as pretty a three bagger as had been seen on the grounds in many a day.

"That's the stuff!"

"Line 'em out!"

"Oh, we're on to his curves all right!" yelled the crowd. Joe, who was on the bench as a reserve pitcher, jumped to his feet and watched the ball roll past Tom who was playing centre. It looked almost as if the batter would come on home, but he held third and the fears of the Stars subsided.

"Fool him now, Sam," called Darrell to the pitcher.

"Make him give you a nice one," was the advice the next batter got from his friends. And he did, though it was only good for one bag. However, the run came in, and there were gloomy hearts in the camp of the Silver Stars.

Sam managed to strike out the next man, and his confidence came back.

But it was only for a short time. The crowd of Blue "rooters" was making a terrific racket and this may have gotten on Sam's nerves, at any rate he gave the next man his base on b.a.l.l.s and was later hit for two two baggers.

"Oh, we've got his goat! We've got 'em going! Everybody take a run!"

yelled the visiting captain, jumping up and down at the third base coaching line.

Darrell ran over to Sam.

"You've got to pull yourself together," he said quickly. "We can't afford to lose this game."

"I'm doing the best I can," retorted Sam. "The ball slips."

"Don't let it slip--slips are dangerous," said the manager sharply.

"You've got to do better or----"

"Play ball!" yelled the umpire and Darrell ran back to his place at first base. Sam scowled at him, and then wound up for his next delivery.

Somehow they managed to get three out, but there were five runs in the Blue frame when that inning ended, and only two for the Stars.

"We can't stand this," said Rankin to the manager.

"No, if Sam doesn't improve this inning I'm going to put in Joe."

"Sam will raise a row."

"I don't care if he does. Why doesn't he pitch decent ball if he wants to hold his place? They're laughing at the Stars now, and they didn't used to."

"I know it. Well, maybe he'll improve."

But Sam didn't. He could not seem to control the ball, his curves broke just about where the batters wanted them and they knocked out three runs that inning.

"Matson bats for Morton!" announced the umpire when it came the turn of the Stars and the change had been mentioned to the score keepers by Darrell.

"What does that mean?" cried Sam, striding to where the captain and manager sat.

"It means that Joe is going to pitch the rest of this game," was the quiet answer.

"He is?" Sam's voice rose high in anger.