"Gracious! I hope it isn't Shalleg!" thought the young pitcher. "If he has come here to make trouble——" And his heart sank.
But as he entered the room a glad smile came over his face.
"Hello, Charlie Hall!" he cried, at the sight of the shortstop of the Pittston team, with whom Joe had been quite chummy during the league season. "What good wind blows you here?"
"Oh, you know I'm a traveling salesman during the Winter, and I happened to make this town to-day. Just thought I'd step up and see how you were."
"Glad you did! It's a real pleasure to see you. Going back at the game in the Spring, I expect; aren't you?"
"Sure. I wouldn't miss it for anything. But what's this I hear about you?"
"I don't know. Nothing to my discredit, I hope," and Joe smiled.
"Far from it, old man. But there's a rumor among some of the old boys that you're to be drafted to the Cardinals. How about it?"
"Well, Gregory told me as much, but it isn't all settled yet. Say, Charlie, now you're here, I want to ask you something."
"Fire ahead."