"Now, now, my boy," interrupted Baldwin soothingly. "Take a sensible view of it. It's for the best interests of all concerned. It don't mean anything to you if you run back home, square yourself with the family--and quit interfering with our plans." "You're a crook, Baldwin," said the third baseman threateningly. "My uncle, James Lawrence, always said you were a crook and a thief, and now I know it. I wouldn't quit now for all his money and all yours together. I'll stick to the team and we'll win this pennant in spite of you and your rotten gang." The effect of his words caused him to stop in surprise and alarm. The big man, who had been sipping his wine, suddenly grew apoplectic and sat staring at him. Baldwin stared at the slender youth as if at a ghost. Suddenly he lurched forward as if to arise, and emitted a torrent of oaths. [Illustration: Baldwin stared at the slender youth] "You Jim Lawrence's nephew?" he half screamed. "You his boy? Well, by ----, I'll break you. I'll fix you--I'll"---- He pitched forward as if in a fit, and McCarthy, after ringing for assistance, waited until the house physician had revived the big man, then hurried back to his hotel, puzzled and excited and vaguely alarmed over the developments of the evening. Swanson was not yet in the room. CHAPTER XIII _McCarthy Balks the Plotters_ It was past two o'clock when McCarthy was awakened from his troubled sleep by the entrance of Swanson. "Hello, Silent," said McCarthy sleepily. "What time is it?" "Past two," said the shortstop, for once seeming unwilling to talk. "Better get to sleep--you'll be in again to-day." "Where have you been?" asked McCarthy, wide awake in an instant and interested. "Trailing," replied Swanson. "I've found out a few things. Meanwhile I had a talk with Clancy. You little squarehead, why didn't you tell him I was with you? Do you want to get yourself in bad by some fool notion of protecting me? I couldn't tell him what we were doing--but I told him you were with me, that you weren't drinking, and that you weren't with Edwards." "What have you been doing all night?" asked McCarthy, restored to happiness by the tidings. "Finding out things. I trailed Williams downtown right after the game. He had dinner with Edwards in a private room. I couldn't find out what happened, but Williams came out looking as if he had been jerked through a knot hole. Then Edwards met that fat party that had you in his room." "Is he in it, too?" asked McCarthy. "Yes--who and what is he?" "His name is Baldwin. He's a big politician and broker here in the East and I knew him out West, where he owns a ranch." "What did he want with you?" "He wanted me to quit the team and run back home. I told him where he got off. The idea of asking me to quit the boys now, when they may need me!" "I can imagine what you said," laughed Swanson. "Did you kick him on the shins and try to make him fight?"