Darrell flushed and looked pleased over this compliment. As Dick reached the bench, Wiley rose and said: “Mate Richard, if you wish to put yonder perfidious rogue out of the game, and thus give yourself a fair chance with an honest umpire, I stand ready to take my solemn oath that I know he is crooked. While on the train to-day I heard some of those fellows saying they had the umpire fixed. If you permit him to continue his sinuous course you are destined to lose this game.” “Are you telling me the truth when you say you heard such a thing on the train?” asked Dick. Wiley gave a little sob. “How can you doubt my veracity?” he murmured. “Here is Abe. He heard it also. Am I not speaking the unadulterated and undefiled truth, Abe?” “It is true,” declared the hunchback. Immediately Dick called Captain Madison. “Look here, Madison,” he said grimly, “we want another umpire.” “Oh, do you?” sneered the captain of the visiting team. “You want everything your own way I presume. Well, we are satisfied with this umpire.” “I am not.” “That makes no difference to me. He will stay in there until the game is finished.” “I don’t think so,” retorted Dick quietly. “I have evidence that there is a double deal in this affair. I have the proof, Madison. Some of your players were heard saying that the umpire was fixed.” “Who said so?” “Come up here to the bench.” Madison followed Dick to the bench. “Here is the man who says so,” said Merriwell, indicating Wiley, who bowed gracefully and smiled serenely into Madison’s face. “That chap?” sneered the Franklin captain. “Why, who would believe him?” “He is not the only one who heard it,” asserted Dick. “We want no trouble here, Madison; but we’re looking for a square deal and we propose to have it. You named this chap as umpire, and we agreed to him, even though we were not fully satisfied. It was my desire to please you fellows. Are you here to win a square game? or are you here to steal one?” Madison flushed and looked furious. “I don’t like that sort of talk, Merriwell!” he exclaimed. “I presume you don’t. All Fardale asks is a square deal. You know as well as I do that I didn’t get a square deal in the last inning. I know as well as you do that there has been monkey business with that umpire.” “An umpire can’t be taken out of a game after it begins.” “He can, if both captains agree on his removal.” “If you don’t like the way this game is going, I can take my team and go home,” declared Madison threateningly. “If you do so, Nort, you know Fardale will refuse to have any dealings whatever with you in the future. You have a good lead in the game now, and you may win it. If you wish to quit under such circumstances, why—go ahead.” “What will you do if I don’t quit? What will you do if I simply decline to change umpires, and continue the game?” “I shall step out onto the field and make an announcement. I shall state for all to hear just what I know in regard to that umpire.”