ough," mused
Jack. "There might be a way to mention a hypothetical case, as though it
were some other fellow I once knew who had the same kind of choice put
up to him, and took the wrong end, only to have his father or sister,
for whom he had sinned, reproach him bitterly, and refuse to accept
tainted money."

"Gee whiz! it does take you to hatch up ways and means, Jack!" exclaimed
Toby, delightedly. "Now, I should say that might be a clever stunt. You
can warn him without making him feel that you're on to his game. Figure
it out, Jack, and get busy before next Saturday comes, won't you?"

"Yes," added Steve, "Fred Badger is too good a fellow to let drop. We
need him the worst kind to fill that gap at third. Besides, suspecting
what we do, it would be a shame for us not to hold out a helping hand to
a comrade who's up against it good and hard."

"What you say, Steve, does your big heart credit," remarked Jack, "but
it might be wise for us to drop our voices a little, because somehow we
have wandered on, and are right now getting pretty close to Fred's home,
which you know lies just on the other side of that clump of bushes."

"Did you steer us this way on purpose, Jack!" demanded Toby,
suspiciously.

"Why, perhaps I had a little notion of stopping in and seeing Mrs.
Badger," admitted the other, chuckling. "In fact, my mother commissioned
me to fetch this glass of home-made preserves over to her, knowing that
Fred's mother has not been at all well. Yes, I own up I was influential
in making her think that way, and was on my way when I ran across you
fellows."

"Huh! I wouldn't be at all surprised, Jack!" declared Toby, "if you had
a scheme in your mind right now to put a crimp in this foolishness on
the part of Fred Badger."

"I'm not saying I haven't, remember, fellows," laughed the other, who
evidently did not mean to show his full hand just then. "When the time
comes perhaps I'll let you in on this thing. I want to do some more
thinking first, though. Many a good idea is wasted because it isn't
given a foundation in the beginning. Now, suppose you boys wait for me
here while I step around and leave this little comfit with Mrs. Badger
with my mother's compliments."

"Just as you say, Jack," muttered Steve, looking rather unhappy because
lie was not to be taken wholly into the confidence of the other. "Don't
stay too long, though, unless you mean to tell us all that happens in
there."

Jack only smiled in ret