l, who had taken
as great a liking to Clara, as the latter had to her.

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?"

"Well, not personally," said Joe, "though I can't boast of a superfluity
of money myself."

"You've got more than I have!" snapped Shalleg.

"I don't know about that," said Joe, slowly, wondering whither the
conversation was leading.

"Your team won the pennant!" cried the man, and Joe, as he caught the
odor of his breath, realized what made Shalleg's manner so excited. The
man was partially intoxicated. Joe wished he had not come. "Your team
won the pennant," Shalleg went on, "and that meant quite a little money
for every player. You must have gotten your share, and I'd like to
borrow some of you, Matson. I'm down and out, I tell you, and I need
money bad--until I can get on my feet again."

Joe did not answer for a moment, but mentally he found a reason for
Shalleg's being "off his feet" at present. Bad habits, very likely.

"Can you let me have some money--until Spring opens?" proceeded Shalleg.
"You'll be earning more then, whether I am or not, for I don't know that
I'm going back with Clevefield. I suppose you'll play with the Pittston
team?"

"I don't know," answered Joe, preferring to reply to that question
first. He wanted time to think about the other.

"You don't know!" Shalleg exclaimed, in surprise.

"No. I hear I am to be drafted to the St. Louis Nationals."

"The St. Louis Nationals!" cried Shalleg. "That