Joe and Reggie found that the train was still stalled in the snow drift, but a large force of shovelers was at work, and the prospect was that the line would be opened that afternoon. Thereupon Reggie went to the hotel to arrange about his own room, and one for his sister.
"And I'll go see Shalleg," decided Joe. "Might as well get it over with, though I did tell him I wouldn't come until afternoon. I'm anxious to know what it's all about."
"He's making a sort of mystery of it," observed Reggie.
"Somewhat," admitted Joe, with a smile.
Greatly to his relief (for Joe was anxious to get the matter over with) he found Shalleg at the boarding house when he called.
"Come up to my room," invited the baseball player. "It's warmer than down in the parlor."
In his room he motioned Joe to a chair, and then, looking intently at the young pitcher, said:
"Matson, do you know what it is to be down and out?"
"Down and out? What do you mean?"
"I mean to have few friends, and less money. Do you know what that means?"