"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?"

"I wanted to," replied McCarthy savagely. "I can't see where he gets
into this affair at all. There's something queer all round."

"Listen, Kohinoor," said Swanson. "Someone wants to beat the Bears out
of this pennant, and whoever it is is turning every trick possible to
beat us. I suspect they've got to Williams and that he is trying to
throw games, and I've been working all night trying to get the goods on
him. We can't run to Clancy with a yarn like that unless we're ready
to prove it. Now go to sleep and get ready to win to-morrow's
game--to-day's, rather."

McCarthy lay staring, sleepless, into the darkness, his brain whirling
as he strove to penetrate the maze of intrigue and plotting of which he
seemed the center. Half an hour passed, then, as he turned in bed, a
sleepy voice from the next bed asked:

"Asleep, Kohinoor?"

"No."

"Then quit worrying. I had a talk with Betty Tabor to-night, and you
needn't worry. She don't believe all she hears."

"What did she say, Silent?" asked McCarthy, sitting up in bed suddenly.

"Aw, go to sleep," responded Swanson, as he rolled over, chuckling at
t