r idea is O.K. It will write up well if it is handled right.
Moreover it is a little out of the ordinary, and all-American. That is a
popular theme at present."

He paused and puffed the air full of smoke-wreaths. In the smoke he
could see a big story. Why couldn't hard-headed business men realize the
value of the thing he was trying to get at? Why, Kenneth Gregory's idea
would be a winner at the present time. He, Bill Hawkins, could make it
so.

"Listen," he said quietly. "I have to be getting back to the office so I
can't say much now. I put over a big story for the boss yesterday. Shot
myself to pieces over it. So he's giving me a week off on full pay to
take it easy. I want a vacation. I'm a fan for fishing and if you'll
give me an invitation to go back with you and will let me muss around on
your boats, I'll see if I can't drop on to something that will look good
in print. I have an idea I can have a few of the jobbers around here
yelping at your heels for fish before I get back. In the morning I'll be
off. Then I'll go down to Winfield & Camby's with you. I know the boss
there and think maybe I can get him to talk 'turkey.'"

Gregory jumped eagerly at Hawkins' suggestion and immediately extended
the desired invitation. The following morning saw the two men closeted
at an early hour with Mr. Dupont, of Winfield & Camby. And under the
warmth of Hawkins' introduction, the manager's manner thawed perceptibly
toward the young cannery owner.

Noting the change, Gregory hastened to take advantage of it, and
straightway put up his proposition. When he had concluded, Mr. Dupont
took the floor.

"In our dealings with our patrons, Mr. Gregory," he began, "we are
nothing, if not frank. Our firm is one of unimpeachable standing which
follows as a natural result from years of square-dealing. We are,
however, extremely conservative. We play, as the saying goes, no
'long-shots.' Once convinced of the dependability of our producers, we
give them every chance and stick by them to the limit."

The manager removed his nose-glasses and polished them carefully before
going on:

"I had the pleasure of meeting your father, Mr. Gregory. From my
observation of him, he was everything that one could expect in a man.
But he was constantly hampered with labor troubles of one sort or
another. Consequently, he was unable to operate his plant in the way we
like to see them operate. When we work up a trade for a particular
brand, we like