ll, well-dressed man stepped up to
Joe and extended his hand.

"Let me congratulate you, Mr. Matson," he said effusively. "That was a
splendid thing you did to-night. I never saw anything finer."

"I'm afraid you exaggerate it," deprecated Joe.

"Not at all," said the stranger. "By the way, Mr. Matson, it's a
coincidence that I came to town with the express purpose of seeing you on
a business matter. But I didn't expect that my first meeting with you
would be under such exciting circumstances."

He took a card from his pocket and handed it to Joe.

"My name, as you see, is Westland," he continued. "I'm stopping at the
hotel, and I would be glad to see you there or at any place that may be
convenient to you some time to-morrow."

"Suppose you call at my home to-morrow morning," said Joe. "It's only
about five minutes' walk from the hotel."

"You needn't bother about giving me the directions," said Westland, with
an ingratiating smile. "Everybody in Riverside knows where Baseball Joe
lives. I'll be around at eleven o'clock."

He lifted his hat and departed, while Joe and the others walked toward
home.

"What do you suppose he wants of you, Joe?" asked Clara, with lively
curiosity.

"Oh, I don't know," answered her brother carelessly. "Some reporter
probably who wants to get the sad story of my life."

"If it is, he'll have something to write about after to-night," put in
Jim. "Great Scott! Joe, if that had happened in New York it would be
spread all over the front page of to-morrow's papers."

"Oh, Joe, I'm so proud of you," sighed his mother happily.

"You're a brother worth having!" exclaimed Clara warmly.

Jim was on the point of saying that Joe was a brother-in-law worth having,
but checked himself in time.

They had almost reached the house when Clara began to laugh.

"What's the joke?" inquired Jim.

But Clara only laughed the harder until they became a little alarmed.

"No, I'm not hysterical," she said, when she could speak. "I only happened
to remember what tune it was the orchestra played. I suppose it was the
first thing the leader thought of, and he didn't have time to pick out
another. Do you remember what it was?"

They cudgeled their brains, but could not recall it.

"What was it?" asked Jim.

"'There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town To-night!'"

CHAPTER III

THE STRANGER'S VISIT

Promptly the next morning at eleven, Westland put in an appearance at the
Matson home. He