I could even describe how he looks so that you recognize the picture.  And say, I’ll give such broad hints, without actually saying it’s Brother Lu he wants, that the poor old wretch will bump himself getting out of town on the first freight that pulls in here.  It’s a scream of a joke; and I’m obliged to you boys for putting me up to it.  I need all sorts of practice, you understand, to fit myself for a prominent post down in New York City, where I expect to land a job as a star reporter on one of the big dailies.”

Of course Thad and Hugh were pleased with matters so far as they had gone.

“I’m in with you, boys,” continued Jim, as they arose to leave the Courier office, “to the limit; but there’s one favor I want to ask of you in return.”

“Name it, Jim!” cried Thad, grasping the cold hand of the reporter, for just at that moment he felt as though willing to do almost anything in return for this real kindness on the part of his old-time associate.

“Listen, then,” said the other, briskly, for he at least had a rapid mind, and was in many other ways well qualified for the position which he meant to assume in the world of newspaperdom, besides, an abundance of nerve, or as Thad liked to call it, “cheek,”—–­“I don’t believe Mrs. Hosmer ever sees our sterling paper, because the name isn’t on our mailing list, or the carrier’s either.  But tomorrow morning I’ll have Jenkins, our boy here, go around particularly to Matilda’s cottage and leave a paper, telling her we are sending out a large number of free complimentary copies, hoping to induce more people to subscribe.  Get that, boys?”

“Yes, and it sounds good to me, Jim; you know how to work the mill, all right,” said the judicious Thad, well aware of the power flattery possesses to grease the wheels of human machinery.

“Well, the three of us will be in hiding close by, just as Thad was today when his mother and those other good ladies paid their unprofitable visit to the Hosmer home.  If we’re lucky we may see Brother Lu come dashing out of the place, and strike a blue streak for the railroad, distant half a mile or so.  Should that happen, we can make up our minds it’s all serene, and that Scranton, as well as his poor sister, will have seen the last of him.  But you must promise to come around here and wait for me, as I may have a little business on my hands.  Holding down all the positions on even a local sheet is no easy job, you must know; and I’m the PooBah of this joint right now.”

Willingly Thad gave the desired promise.  He would have done anything else which the autocrat of the enterprise chose to demand just then, since they looked upon Jim as their main reliance.  Fortunately the other did not see fit to bind them to any further promises, and when they had left the newspaper office, it was with a sense of elation such as comes after a successful venture.

Thad was fairly bubbling over with delight.