"What!" he cried, incredulously, half rising to his feet. This sudden ejaculation drew the attention of all the others seated at the table. "Land sakes, Joe!" expostulated his mother, "you almost made me upset my tea cup. What's the matter?" "Enough's the matter," responded Joe, jubilantly. "That is, if Mabel really means what she said just now." "What was it you said, Mabel dear?" asked Clara. "Come, 'fess up," invited Jim. "I guess I'll let Reggie tell the rest of it," said Mabel, blushing under the battery of eyes turned upon her. "All right, Sis," said Reggie, affably. "Bah Jove, I give you credit for holding in as long as you have. The fact is," he continued, beaming amiably upon all the party, "the governor asked me to take a trip to Japan and China, and Mabel put in to come along. I didn't twig what the little minx was up to, until she said we could go on the same steamer that took the baseball party. Lots of other women--wives of the managers and players and so on--will go along, I understand. So there's the whole bally story in a nutshell. Rippin' good idea I call it--what?" "Glory hallelujah!" cried Joe, grasping Mabel's hand, openly this time. "It's simply great!" cried Jim, enthusiastically. "You darling, lucky girl!" exclaimed Clara, while Mr. and Mrs. Matson smiled their pleasure. "Had you up in the air for a minute, didn't it, old top?" grinned Reggie. "I should say it did," Joe admitted. "I thought for a minute I was going crazy. Somebody pinch me." Jim reached over and accommodated him. "Ouch!" cried Joe, rubbing his arm. "You needn't be so literal." "There's nothing I wouldn't do for my friends," said Jim, piously. Questions poured in thick and fast. "How can you possibly get ready in time?" asked Clara. "It's the sixteenth now, and the teams leave Chicago on the nineteenth." "Oh, we're not going to make the trip across the country," explained Mabel, flushed with happiness. "Reggie and I will join the party in San Francisco or Seattle, or wherever they start from. So that will give us nearly a month, and I'm going to spend most of that right here--if you can stand me that long." Clara came round the table and gave her an impulsive hug. "I'd be glad to have you stay here forever," said Mrs. Matson fervently. Just here a thought struck Joe. "It's the greatest thing ever that you're going as far as Japan," he said. "But why can't you keep on with us and swing right around the circle?" "You greedy boy!" murmured Mabel. "We've thought of that too," explained Reggie. "The governor promised Mabel a trip round the world as soon as she got through with the finishing school. She could have gone last year if she had chosen, but she got so interested in baseball----" "Reggie!" murmured Mabel, warningly.