“How do you do, Mr. Merriwell!” cried Grafter cheerfully. “How are you, Mr. Hodge. We’ve had some trouble finding you.” He shook hands heartily with them, and then said: “Let me introduce Mr. McGann, manager of the Outcasts, a baseball team you may have heard about.” “I should say we had heard about it!” exclaimed Frank. “Every one who takes the least interest in baseball must have heard of it by this time. So you are the manager of the Outcasts, Mr. McGann? Well, I congratulate you, for you certainly have a great team. I know good judges who declare your team is faster than anything in either of the two big leagues.” “You are correct in pronouncing men of that opinion to be good judges,” said McGann. “We think we have the real thing. But, by the way, I have heard a little something about you and your team.” “Which has interested him somewhat,” laughed Grafter. “He’s after you, Merriwell. He’s out for all the scalps he can gather.” “After us, is he? I suppose he is looking for a game with our team?” “That’s just it,” nodded McGann. “We have an idea that you will be fruit for us, although we hope you’ll be strong enough to make the game fairly interesting, in case you are not afraid to play us.” Hodge muttered something under his breath. It always irritated Bart to have any one insinuate that the Merries were afraid of anything on the diamond. “It’s a fine thing to have a good opinion of yourself,” smiled Frank. “Evidently you are not troubled by modesty, Mr. McGann. Considering what your team has done, I don’t know that I blame you.” “Will you give us a game?” “We’ll be delighted.” “You bet!” put in Hodge. “Of course,” said McGann shrewdly, “we’ll give you a fair deal. We’ll furnish the grounds, pay all expenses of advertising and pay you a hundred dollars for a game next Saturday afternoon. We can play in Hoboken if I engage the ground to-night.” “Such generosity is altogether surprising!” said Frank, with bland sarcasm. “Aren’t you afraid you can’t afford it?” “I thought that would be satisfactory,” said McGann. “I understand you chaps are playing for sport. Have you any salaried men on your team?” “No.” “Well, you see——” “We might play you for nothing!” interrupted Frank. “In Hoboken, too. There will be eight or ten thousand people out to the game, if the weather is good. Eight thousand paid admissions will mean two thousand dollars in gate money, if only twenty-five cents is charged. Mr. McGann, I am overwhelmed by your generous offer of one hundred dollars!” “Oh, but you know expenses will be heavy. We must pay a round sum for the grounds, to say nothing of advertising and other expenses. Besides that, our players are high-priced men—all under salary. It costs like fire to run the sort of team we have.”