“Oh, come now! That’s too thin! She’s evidently taken a liking to you.”
“I hope she has!” exclaimed the young pitcher, and then blushed at his boldness. As the train pulled past the station he had a full view of the girl waving at him. She was Mabel Varley. Charlie saw her also.
“My word!” he cried. “I congratulate you, old man!” and he clapped Joe on the shoulder.
“Cut it out!” came the retort, as Joe turned his reddened face in the direction of the girl. And he waved back, while some of the other players laughed.
“Better be looking for someone to sign in Matson’s place soon, Mack,” remarked John Holme, the third baseman, with a chuckle. “He’s going to trot in double harness if I know any of the symptoms.”
“All right,” laughed the assistant manager. “I’ll have to begin scouting again, I suppose. Too bad, just as Joe is going to make good.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” advised our hero coolly. “I’m going to play.”
The trip up was much more enjoyable than Joe had found the one down, when he came alone. He was beginning to know and like nearly all of his team-mates—that is, all save Collin, and it was due only to the latter’s surly disposition that Joe could not be friendly with him.
“Think you’ll stay in this business long?” asked Charlie of Joe as he sank into the seat beside him.