l the damage I want for
a few days," muttered Bayliss, gazing down ruefully at his drenched
clothing and water-logged shoes.

"I wonder who'll take this car home?" asked one of the men in
front of the "Blade" office.

"Where is my son?" inquired Mr. Dodge, pushing his way through
the crowd without any suspicion of what had lately happened.
"Isn't my son here to take this car home?"

"I doubt if he'll come back," replied one man, with a twinkle
in his eyes.

"'Blade'? Extree 'Blade'?" demanded a newsboy, holding out a paper.

"Better take one, Mr. Dodge," advised a man in the crowd. "Mighty
interesting reading in this extra!"

Almost mechanically the banker paid for a paper, folded it, then
stepped into the automobile.

On his arrival home, and after having turned the car over to his
chauffeur, Mr. Dodge went to his library, despite the fact that
he knew his dinner was waiting.

There he spread out the extra "Blade" on a table and began to
read the featured news story.

As he read the elder Dodge flushed deeply. Though the names of
Bert and Bayliss were not mentioned, he had no difficulty in
connecting them with the ludicrous story.

Turning, Mr. Dodge rang. A man servant answered.

"Mrs. Dodge wishes to know, sir, when you are coming to dinner,"
said the man.

"Ask Mrs. Dodge, from me kindly to let the dinner go on, and say
that I am busy, now, but will come to the table as soon as I am
at leisure. Then ask Mr. Bert to come here to me at once."

Bert entered. He had removed his wet garments, and put on fresh
clothing. He had been at dinner when interrupted by his father's
message.

"This extraordinary story in the 'Blade' refers to you, does it
not?" inquired the banker, shoving the paper before the young
man.

"Yes, sir," Bert admitted sulkily.

"You and your friend, Bayliss, have been making fools of yourselves,
have you?"

"No, sir," cried Bert. "We were made fools of by others."

"When it comes to making a fool of yourself, Bert, no one else
is swift enough to get ahead of you," replied his father witheringly.
"So, you have succeeded in making the entire family objects of
ridicule once more? I had hoped that that sort of thing had ceased
when I sent you away to a private school."

"We were imposed on," flushed Bert angrily. "Nor has the outrage
stopped there. Bayliss and I were seized in front of the 'Blade'
office, and taken over to the horse trough and ducked!"

"Was it don