ble," teased Reade.

"Say, but it's a warm one that's forming this time," whispered
Dan, his eyes dancing. "I'll see you fellows at recess. Not
a word until then. But you-----"

Ting-ling-ling. The bell connecting with the annunciator at the
principal's desk was trilling in IV. English, as it was in all
the other recitation rooms. IV. English rose, the boys waiting
until the girls had passed from the room. A study-hour in the
big assembly room followed for Dick & Co. Yet, had anyone watched
Dan Dalzell, it would have been found that young man was in the
reference room, and reading, or thumbing---of all volumes in
the English language---the city directory!

When recess broke, Dick & Co. quickly got together. By twos,
Dick and Dave Darrin leading, they marched down through one of
the side streets, it being permitted to High School pupils to
go outside the yard in the near neighborhood.

Presently Dick halted before a stone wall. He eyed Dan keenly,
who had been walking just behind with Harry Hazelton.

"Dan," demanded the leader, "you gave us to understand that your
mind is seething again. Is that true?"

"Quite true," Dan averred, solemnly.

"What particular kind of cerebration is oscillating inside of
your intelligence?" Dick queried.

"Which?" demanded Dan, suspiciously. "No, I never! I'm not that
kind of fellow."

"In plain, freshman English, then, what's your scheme?"

"We'll have to get statistics," announced Dalzell, "before I can
come right down to bare facts. When does the Board of Education,
otherwise known as the Grannies' Club, meet?"

"Tonight, in the Board Room in the High School building," Dick
answered.

"How many members are there?"

"Seven," Dick affirmed.

"That's not too many, then," continued Dan, thoughtfully.

"Not too many?" repeated Dick Prescott. "What do you mean?"

"Why, I've been refreshing my general information about this town
by consulting the city directory. From that valuable tome I
discovered that there are just nine undertakers in town."

"Now, what on earth are you driving at---or driveling at?" asked
Dick Prescott, suspiciously, while the other partners remained
wonderingly, eagerly silent.

"Why," pursued Dan, "we can summon seven of the undertakers for
our job, and still leave two available for the public service."

Dick sprang up from the stone wall, tightly gripping Dan Dalzell
by the coat collar.

"Help me watch this lunatic, fellows,"