ly looked at each
other and nodded understandingly.

"Here goes, then," ventured Tuck, bravely.

He strutted across the floor toward the office and met one of the boys
stationed there.

"Good-morning, sir; do you wish to see anyone?" asked the impromptu
clerk.

"I have an appointment with Mr. Slamhim," quivered Tuck, as if the visit
was an actual affair.

The boys tittered with glee as Tuck turned red and white.

"Your name, please?" asked the polite clerk.

"Reuben Stevens," replied Tuck, in a whisper.

"Ha! the name'll queer you, Tuck!" laughed Don, behind his chum's back,
but the older boys hushed Don.

The clerk rapped upon the office door and a voice said, "Come in."

"Reuben Stevens to see you, sir. He has an appointment."

"Show him in," said the voice which Ruth recognized as a disguised bass
of Ned's.

Tuck walked to the office and then turned about and asked the other
boys: "Now, what shall I say--I've forgotten."

Immediately there was a loud chorus of laughter, and a scuffle and Tuck
was ousted in the same manner that Don had been.

"Didn't I say that name would spoil you?" teased Don.

"Next!" called one of the boys who had a list of names which he marked
down "good, indifferent, bad."

The boy whose turn came next carried off the rehearsal as if he had been
a solicitor all of his short life. The other boys cheered his efforts
and even the Blue Birds were tempted to clap their hands.

"Well, Bobolinks, I think this will do for to-day; we have drilled three
of the boys after the manner shown us last night, but Don and Tuck seem
to be hopeless cases," said Ned.

"I'll practice it at home on Dot, and show you what I can do to-morrow,"
eagerly promised Don.

Dot looked up at her friends when she heard this and shook her head
energetically.

The Bobolinks carefully covered the machines with the canvas covers and
started to go out. At the same time the girls in the loft crept across
the floor toward the steps. The boys were not making so much noise as
when the Blue Birds went up in the loft, and Meredith stood surprised
when he heard something moving over his head.

"Where's Ike?" he whispered to Ned.

"Just outside the door--why?" replied Ned.

"Don't you hear those footsteps?"

"What--where? Yes, of course!" exclaimed Ned.

Simon was seen crossing the lawn and Ike stood outside with the boys, so
who could be upstairs?

Meantime, Ruth overheard Meredith's exclamation and hurrie