"Kennedy," said Locke, his voice hard as chilled steel, "they've picked the wrong stool pigeon. My eyes aren't sewed up. With your help, I'm going to find a way to spoil their villainous schemes. I know you'll help me." The veteran sprang up, a bit of the old-time fire in his face. "You bet your life, son! That's why I wired for you to come on, and that's why I wanted you to pretend to take the hook and sign up with Weegman. I knew we could work together, and it puts us in position to get the harpoon into them before they wise up to what's doing. Let's get busy." CHAPTER XVII GETTING INTO ACTION Locke was for open work and defiance of Weegman, but Kennedy argued against it. "You want to get the jump on that snake," said the old man, digging a package of contract forms for players out of his traveling bag. "He won't be looking for you to get into action so sudden, and you'll gain a lap before he knows it. When it comes to fighting a polecat, a wise man takes precautions. Weegman's gone to send word to his pals of the slick job he's put over, and he'll be coming back to bother us pretty soon. We don't want to be here when he comes." So, for the purpose of conducting their private business, another room was engaged, and an arrangement made whereby no person, no matter how insistent he might be, should be told where to find them. Then a telegraph messenger boy was summoned to that room, and telegrams were sent to the still loyal Blue Stockings players, stating that contracts were being mailed for their signatures. Then the contracts were filled out, sealed, and dropped into the mail chute. A square meal was ordered and served in the private room, and for nearly three hours Lefty and Jack talked. They had many things to tell each other, but their principal topic was the filling of the frightful gaps made in the team by the Federal raids, and both agreed that the time had come when the close-fisted financial policy of the Blue Stockings must be abandoned; players fully as good as the ones lost, or better, if possible, must be obtained at any cost. Various team combinations that seemed to balance to a nicety were made up on paper, but how to get the men coveted was the problem. "We've got two catchers left," said Kennedy, "but the best of the pair ain't in the same class as the man we've lost. We've got to have a backstop as good as Nelson. And when it comes to pitchers--say, son, is it possible there ain't any show at all of your coming back?" "I wish I could answer that," confessed Locke. "At any rate, we've got to have two more first-string men. If this Mysterious Jones I told you of is anywhere near as good as he looked to--"