It was lucky that neither of them was slated to pitch the next day, for they would scarcely have been in condition after their night's experience. A game had been arranged between the visiting teams at a date three days later. By that time Joe was in his usual superb form and easily carried off the victory for his team. This put the Giants "on velvet," for they now had a clear lead of two over the All-Americans. But the satisfaction that this would have usually given Joe was lacking now. Victory had ceased to be sweet since the receipt of that newspaper from home. Perhaps it was because of his sensitive condition that he thought he detected a subtle change in the conduct of his team mates towards him. While perfectly friendly in their relations with him, they did not "let themselves go" when in his presence, as formerly. There was no boisterous clapping on the back, no jolly sparring or wrestling. There seemed to be a little holding in, a feeling of reserve, a something in the back of their minds that they did not care for him to see. This joyous freemasonry of sport had always been especially pleasant to Joe and for that reason he felt its absence the more keenly. But what exasperated him most was that if the old standbys of the club were a trifle cool, Iredell, Curry and Burkett went to the other extreme and were more cordial than ever before. It was as though they were welcoming a newcomer to their ranks. They knew that they were under suspicion of planning to jump their contracts in the spring, and the apparent evidence that so renowned a player as Joe was planning to do the same thing made them hail him as a reinforcement. Where formerly they had often ceased talking when he approached them and made him feel that he was an intruder, they now greeted him warmly, although they did not yet feel quite sure enough to broach the subject of their own accord. "All little pals together," hummed Iredell significantly on one occasion with a sidelong glance at Joe. "Just what do you mean by that?" asked Joe sharply. "Just what I say," replied Iredell innocently. "What is there wrong about that? Aren't we Giants pals to each other?" "Of course we are, as long as we stay Giants," replied Joe. "But that wasn't what you meant, Dell, and you know it." "Now, don't get red-headed, Joe," put in Curry soothingly. "You must have got out of bed on the wrong side this morning. Dell didn't mean any harm." "Tell me one thing," said Joe. "Do any of you fellows believe for one minute that story in the paper?" He looked from one to the other, but none of them looked him straight in the eye. "You know that I've denied it," went on Joe, as they kept silent, "and if after that you still believe the story it's the same as saying that I lie. And no one can call me a liar and get away with it." He stalked away leaving them dumbfounded. "Do you think he really has jumped his contract?" asked Burkett. "I don't know," replied Iredell dubiously.