meeting with Shalleg.

"But it's odd that he and Wessel should be chumming together. I've said
little about it, but I've been wondering for a long time why Wessel
quarreled with me. I begin to see a light now. It must have been that
Shalleg put him up to it."

"A queer game," admitted Rad. "Well, I think I'll put the hotel
proprietor wise to the fact that he can collect that board bill from Ike
Wessel."

But Joe and Rad found their plans unexpectedly changed when they went to
put them into effect. They were a little late getting back to the hotel
from the grounds, as Joe had some purchases to make. And, as the two
chums entered the lobby, they saw standing by the desk the two men in
question. Mr. Watson was addressing Shalleg in no uncertain tones.

"No, I tell you!" he exclaimed. "I won't have you on the team, and this
is the last time I'll tell you. And I don't want you hanging around,
either. You don't do us any good."

"Is that your last word?" asked Shalleg, angrily.

"Yes, my last word. I want you to clear out and leave us alone."

"Huh! I guess you can't keep me away from games!" sneered Shalleg. "This
is a free country."

"Well, you keep away from my club," warned Mr. Watson, with great
firmness. "I wouldn't have you as a bat-tender."

The flushed and ill-favored face of Shalleg grew more red, if that were
possible, and he growled:

"Oh, don't let that worry you. Some day you may be glad to send for me
to help pull your old club out of the cellar. Someone has been talking
about me, that's the trouble; and if I find out who it is I'll make 'em
sweat for it!" and he glared at Joe, who was too amazed at the strange
turn of affairs to speak.

Then the two cronies turned and started out of the hotel lobby. But Rad
was not going to be foiled so easily. He slipped over to the clerk and
whispered:

"Say, that's the fellow who jumped his board bill, you know," and he
nodded at Wessel.

"Yes, I know," the clerk replied. "He just came in to settle. He
apologized, and said he had to leave in a hurry," and the clerk winked
his eye to show how much belief he placed in the story.

"Hum!" mused Rad. "That's rather queer. He must have wanted to square
matters up so he could come back to town safely."

"Looks so," returned the clerk.

Joe talked the matter over with his roommate, as to whether or not it
would be advisable to tell Mr. Watson how Shalleg had threatened the
young pitcher, and also whether to spe