"That's all right. Maybe you'll be glad of some money you could have from selling stock, before you're through," sneered the "operator's" son.
"Oh, I guess not," responded Dutch. "The fellows will toe the mark with the rocks all right."
"My uncle says it's all in how a team is managed," began a voice, and Ford Fenton strolled up. "My uncle says----"
"Get out of here, you shrimp!" cried Holly Cross, making a rush at Ford. "If your uncle heard you, he'd take you out of this college for disgracing him."
"That's right," agreed Dutch, making a playful attempt to trip up Ford, which the much-uncled youth skillfully avoided.
"You're right, just the same," declared Bert Bascome, who came up at that juncture. "The team hasn't been managed right, and I'm going to have something to say about it at the meeting."
The session called by Tom to consider financial matters was well attended. Tom, by general consent, was made chairman.
"You all know what we're here for," began the captain, who was not fond of long speeches. "The nine needs money to help it out of a hole."
"Who got it in the hole?" asked Bascome with a sneer.
"You'll have a chance to speak when the time comes," said the pitcher sharply. "I'll be through in a minute."
Bascome sat down, muttering something about "manager" and "money."
"We need cash," went on Tom, "to carry us over a certain period. After that we'll have plenty. We haven't made as much as we expected. Now we'd like subscriptions, and if any fellow feels that he can't afford to give the money outright, don't let that stand in his way. We'll only borrow it, and pay it back at the end of the season. Of course, if any one wants to give it without any strings on it, so much the better. I've got ten dollars that goes that way."
These were some of the cries that greeted Tom's closing words.
"I'll let the treasurer take it," announced the chairman. "Get busy, Snowden. We've got enough now to take the team out of town."
Phil, who was sitting near Sid, looked at his chum, and remarked:
"You're going to help us out, aren't you, Sid? Seems to me I saw you with a fair-sized roll yesterday."
"I--I'd like to help, first rate," answered Sid, in some confusion, "only I'm broke now."
Phil did not reply, but there was a queer look on his face. He was wondering what Sid had done with his money. This was the second time he had unexpectedly "gone broke."