, for, it appeared, the scoundrel and his cronies had fled
after putting Joe into the boat.

The moving picture people readily agreed to keep silent about the
affair, and Manager Watson said he would explain Joe's absence from the
game in a way that would disarm suspicion.

Joe soon recovered from his unpleasant and dangerous experience and,
true to his promise, used his influence to induce Mr. Watson to play an
exhibition game for the moving picture people.

"Of course we'll do it!" the manager exclaimed. "That would be small pay
for what they did for you. I'll see if we can't play the Phillies right
here. Of course it will have to be arranged with the high moguls, but I
guess it can be."

And it was. The game was not to count in the series, for some changes
and new rules had to be adopted to make it possible to get it within the
scope of the moving picture cameras. And the picture managers agreed to
pay a sum that made it worth while for the players, Joe included, to put
up a good game of ball.

To his delight Joe was selected to pitch for his side, and fully himself
again, he "put up a corking good game," to quote his friend Rad.

"Well, I'm not sorry to be leaving Philadelphia," remarked Joe to Rad,
when their engagement in the Quaker City was over, and they were to go
on to Brooklyn. "I always have a feeling that Shalleg will show up
again."

"I only wish he would!" exclaimed Rad.

"I don't!" said Joe, quickly.

"I mean and be captured," his chum added, quickly.

"Oh, that's different," laughed Joe.

Taking three of the four games from the Superbas, two of them on the
same day, in a double-header, the St. Louis team added to their own
prestige, and, incidentally, to their standing in the league, gaining
fourth place.

"I think we have a good chance of landing third place," the manager
exulted when they started West. They were to play Chicago in their home
town, then work their way to New York for a final set-to with the
Giants, and end the season on Robison Field.

And in St. Louis something happened that, for a long time, took Shalleg
out of Joe's path.

The first game with Chicago had been a hard one, but by dint of hard
work, and good pitching (Joe going in at the fourth inning to replace
Barter), the Cardinals won.

"And we'll do the same to-morrow," good-naturedly boasted Manager
Watson, to Mr. Mandell of the Cubs.

"Well, maybe you will, but I have a good chance to put it all over you,"