"Here----. What did you do that for?" demanded Williams.
"I told you in the hotel, when you insulted me, that I'd do it. Will you fight?"
McCarthy's blue eyes had grown narrower, and a colder blue tint came into them.
"I'll break you in pieces, you ---- ---- ---- you," Williams spluttered with rage.
"Drop that talk and fight," challenged McCarthy, stepping into a fighting attitude.
Just then McCarthy received help from an unexpected source. Swanson, the giant of the team, broke through the circle of players that had formed in expectation of seeing a fight.
"You're all right, Bo," he roared, throwing his huge arm around the shoulders of the recruit. "You're perfectly all right, but he won't fight you."
"Naw, you won't, Adonis," said the giant, contemptuously. "I think he can lick you, anyhow, but you had it coming. Now kick his other shin, and after that Adonis will apologize."
The suggestion raised a laugh, and eased the situation. The battle light in McCarthy's face changed to a smile.
"I'll forego the kick," he said. "I had to make good after what I told you in the hotel. I'm perfectly willing to let it drop and be friends."
He extended his hand frankly, but Williams, still scowling, did not take it.
"Never mind the being friends part of it," he said. "But if you don't want trouble, just lay away from me after this."
"Here, young fellow," said Clancy, who had arrived at the club house in time to see the finish of the altercation; "I'll do all the fighting for this club. Understand?"
"Yes," replied McCarthy, slowly, without attempting to explain.
"What do you think of my gamecock, Bill?" asked Swanson, enthusiastically. "Adonis insulted him in the hotel last night and the kid promised to kick him on the shins. He was just making good. He offered to shake hands and call it all off, but Adonis wouldn't do it. He's my roommate from now on. I'll have to take him to keep him from fighting every one."
The giant's remark caused another laugh, as his record for fights during his earlier career as a ball player had given him a reputation which obviated all necessity of fighting.
The majority of the Bears had accepted McCarthy as one of their own kind after that, and Swanson adopted him. With Swanson he seemed at home, but the others found him a trifle shy and retiring. He was friendly with all excepting Williams and Pardridge, who resented his occupation of third base while pretending to be pleased. Yet with the exception of Swanson and Kennedy he made no close friends. The admiration of the rough, big-hearted Swede shortstop for the recruit approached adoration and he was loud and insistent in voicing his praises of McCarthy.