CHAPTER XV
AN EVENING RIDE
There was a hubbub of delighted and incoherent exclamations as theyoung people greeted each other with all their heart in their eyes. Ofcourse in the crowded station the greetings could not be just what theboys--and the girls, too--desired, but those would come later. Reggietoo came in for warm handshakes.
"My word!" he exclaimed, as he smiled affably upon them all, "you folksseem glad to see one another. I'll just slip over and look after theluggage."
They spared him without any regret at all. Indeed, it is doubtful ifthey even heard him. Joe was saying things to Mabel in an undertone,and Jim was doing the same thing to Clara. What they said was their ownaffair, but it seemed eminently satisfactory to all concerned.
When at last they had come somewhat to their senses, Joe poked Jim inthe ribs.
"Some surprise, old man!" he remarked mischievously.
"Surprise!" repeated Jim. "It's Paradise. It's heaven. Don't tell meI'm going to wake up and find it all a dream. And you knew this all thetime, you old rascal, and didn't let me in on it."
"Just a little scheme that Mabel and I cooked up," laughed Joe happily."I thought Sis might like to come on and take a look at her onlybrother."
"Brother," mimicked Mabel saucily. "Don't flatter yourself. You won'tbe looked at much while Jim's around."
Clara flushed and laughed in protest. Joe, however, did not seemdisturbed at the prospect. As long as Mabel looked at him the way shewas looking now, he had nothing more to ask.
A taxicab whirled them up to the pretty suite that Joe had reserved forthe girls in a hotel. There were two rooms in the suite, and it wassurprising how quickly Joe and Mabel took possession of one of them,while Jim and Clara found the other one much preferable. They had somuch to say to each other that required no audience. Reggie, who hadan adjoining room, took himself off on the plea of an engagement thatwould keep him till luncheon time, and the happy young people had along delightful morning to themselves.
"Oh, I'm so proud of you, Joe," Mabel assured him, among many otherthings. "You're making such a wonderful record. You don't know how Iread and treasure all the things the papers are saying about you. Theygive you more space than they give the President of the United States."
"You mustn't make too much of it, honey," Joe replied. "I'm in luckjust now; but if I should have a slump the same people that cheer menow when I make a homer would be jeering at me when I came to the bat.There's nothing more fickle than the public. One day you're a king andthe next you're a dub."
"You'll always be a king," cried Mabel. "Always my king, anyway," sheadded blushingly.
In the meantime Clara and Jim were saying things equally precious tothemselves and each other, but of no importance at all to the generalpublic. Jim was surprised and pleased at the intimate acquaintance shehad with all the phases of his rapid rise in his profession. She knewquite as well as the rest of the world that Jim already stood in thevery front rank of pitchers, second only perhaps to Joe himself, andshe had no hesitation in telling him what she thought of him. Sometimesit is not a pleasant thing for a man to know what a woman thinks ofhim, but in Jim's case it was decidedly different, if his shining facewent for anything.
The young people took in a matinee in the afternoon and a musical show,followed by dinner, in the evening, and all were agreed in declaringit a perfect day.
Jim was slated to pitch the next day and with Clara watching from abox he turned in a perfect game, winning by a score of 1 to 0, the runbeing contributed by Joe, who turned loose a screaming homer in thesixth. Naturally both young men felt elated.
It was a beautiful summer evening, and they had arranged for anautomobile ride out on Long Island. Joe had hired a speedy car,but dispensed with the services of a chauffeur. He himself was anaccomplished driver and knew all the roads. A chauffeur would have beenonly a restraint on their freedom of conversation.
They bowled along over the perfect roads, happy beyond words and atpeace with all the world. Mabel was seated in front with Joe, while Jimand Clara occupied the tonneau. All were in the gayest of spirits. Muchof the time they talked, but speech and silences were equally sweet.
They had dinner at an excellent inn, about forty miles out of the city.There was a good string band and the young couples had several dances.The evening wore away before they knew it, and it was rather late whenthey turned their faces cityward.
The car was purring along merrily on a rather lonely stretch of road inthe vicinity of Merrick, when a big car came swiftly up behind them.The driver tooted his horn and Joe drew a little to one side to givethe car plenty of room to pass. The car rushed by and lengthened thedistance until it was about a hundred yards ahead.
"Seems to be in a hurry," remarked Jim.
"A bunch of joy riders, I suppose," answered Joe. "Hello, what doesthat mean?"
For the car had suddenly stopped and the driver had swung it across theroad, blocking it.
"Something gone wrong with the steering gear," commented Joe. "Lookslike a breakdown. Perhaps we can help them."
He slowed up as he drew near the car. The next instant four men jumpedout of the car and ran toward them. They had their caps drawn down overtheir eyes, and each of them carried a leveled revolver.
"Hands up!" commanded their leader, as he covered Joe with his weapon.
Baseball Joe, Home Run King; or, The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record Page 16
