ace was a little pale as he tore open the yellow envelope, and
then, as he glanced at the words written on the sheet of paper, he
exclaimed:

"It's settled! I'm drafted to St. Louis!"

CHAPTER X

OFF TO ST. LOUIS

For a few seconds, after Joe's announcement, there was silence in the
room. Then, as the realization of what it meant came to them, Clara was
the first to speak.

"I'm _so_ glad, Joe," she said, simply, but there was real meaning in
her words.

"And I congratulate you, son," added Mr. Matson. "It's something to be
proud of, even if St. Louis isn't in the first division."

"Oh, they'll get there, as soon as I begin pitching," declared Joe with
a smile.

Mrs. Matson said nothing for a while. Her son, and the rest of the
family, knew of her objection to baseball, and her disappointment that
Joe had not entered the ministry, or some of the so-called learned
professions.

But, as she looked at the smiling and proud face of her boy she could
not help remarking:

"Joe, I, too, am very glad for your sake. I don't know much about
sporting matters, but I suppose this is a promotion."

"Indeed it is, Mother!" Joe cried, getting up to go around the table and
kiss her. "It's a fine promotion for a young player, and now it's up to
me to make good. And I will, too!" he added earnestly.

"Is that all Mr. Gregory, your former manager, says in the telegram?"
asked Mr. Matson.

"No, he says a letter of explanation will follow, and also a contract to
sign."

"Will you get more money, Joe?" asked Clara.

"Sure, Sis. I know what you're thinking of," Joe added, with a smile at
the girl, as he put his stick-pin in his scarf. "You're thinking of the
ring I promised to buy you if I got this place. Well, I'll keep my word.
You can go down and get measured for it to-day."

"Oh, Joe, what a good brother you are!" she cried.

"Then you really will get more money?" asked Mrs. Matson, and her voice
was a bit eager. Indeed Joe's salary, and the cash he received as his
share of the pennant games, had been a blessing to the family during Mr.
Matson's illness, for the inventor had lost considerable funds.

"Yes, I'll get quite a bit more," said Joe. "I got fifteen hundred a
year with the Pittstons, and Mr. Gregory said I ought to get at least
double that if I go with St. Louis. It will put us on Easy Street; won't
it, Momsey?"

"It will be very welcome," she replied, with a sigh, but it was rather a
happy sigh