“I’ve heard that you started out with every player under an agreement that your men should not be paid unless you made money. You took small chances at the outset. You have made money hand over hand. It’s been a great thing for you. I don’t wonder, if you pay the teams with which you play as liberally as you have offered to pay us!” Frank’s sarcasm was biting now, and McGann squirmed under it somewhat. “Well, what do you want?” he asked sharply. “We have the reputation. The people will turn out to see us play.” “Oh, I think our team has some drawing power,” retorted Merry. “We haven’t failed to get out fairly good crowds wherever we have appeared. No, Mr. McGann, we’ll not play you in Hoboken on the terms you have offered.” “You can say what you want, can’t you?” “Yes.” “Well?” “We want all we can get. Although we enjoy the game, we’re not easy marks.” “I didn’t take you for easy marks, Merriwell,” said McGann. “You misunderstood me.” “I hope I did.” Bart was smiling in a grimly satisfied manner. “What is your idea of what is right in the way of terms?” asked the manager of the Outcasts. “Will two hundred dollars satisfy you?” “Hardly!” “Then what?” “Not less than fifty per cent of the net receipts.” “Oh, that’s no square deal! Why, we furnish the grounds and do the advertising.” “I said the net receipts. Expenses to be taken out before the money is divided.” “We couldn’t think of it,” said McGann decisively. “We have the reputation to draw the people. I’ll make all the arrangements. We’ll pay you fifteen per cent.” “I don’t think we’ll play,” said Frank. “You’ll have to look after other marks.” He seemed to consider the matter settled. “We’re anxious to play with you,” protested McGann. “You seem to be!” laughed Frank. “We really are. You’re the fellows we want to beat next Saturday. Some people actually seem to think you can make us work hard for the game.” “If you play us, you won’t do any loafing,” cut in Hodge. “That is, if you keep in the game for a minute.” “Fifty per cent is unreasonable,” said the manager of the Outcasts. “I’ll tell you what we will do. We’ll give you twenty of the net.” “No go,” said Frank. “Two-thirds to the winners, one-third to the losers. How does that strike you?” McGann objected. He admitted that he felt as if the Merries would be getting too much if they received one-third of the net receipts. “Oh, but we’d get two-thirds under that arrangement,” declared Hodge. “Would you?” sneered McGann. “Then what do you say if the winners take all the money?” “That suits me very well,” said Frank promptly. The manager of the Outcasts gasped. Of a sudden, he fancied he saw how he could get out of it without paying Merriwell a dollar. “Are you in earnest?” he asked. “Certainly.” “You’ll sign an agreement to play on those terms?” “Yes, sir.” “It’s a go!” cried McGann. “Let’s make out the agreement and sign it right here. I’m afraid you’ll change your mind.”