e to it than appears," suggested Dick.

"You said it," added Ned, and then continued, "I never saw Father Boone
like this before. The fellows have got into lots of worse scrapes than
this, and he only laughed. Why, you remember that day in the woods last
month, on the outing. Do you suppose he didn't know all about that fight
between Barry and Dolan? And he never said a word. Except about a week
after, if you noticed, he wanted two boys to go on an errand to Bailey's
and he sent them. It turned out that they had to help at putting on
labels for the Hospital Fair and Mrs. Bailey gave them a dollar each.
They came back chums. Father Boone doesn't 'grouch' or snarl if a fellow
breaks out. He just says nothing, or else mends matters quietly in his
own way."

"Say, Ned, that's quite a speech," exclaimed Dick, a bit envious. "You
ought to have been on that committee."

At that "Bright Eyes" chuckled and soon he had the others laughing.

After a moment Frank announced, "I want you fellows to help me out with
this note. I never did anything like it before. I've written lots of
compositions. But this is diplomatic work."

Ned tapped his forehead and took on a look of deep thought. Dick coughed
and struck the attitude of a thinker.

"O, laugh if you like, but if you had been through what I have, you
wouldn't think it was a joke," muttered Frank.

"Well, what do you want us to do?" asked Dick.

"Put our heads together and send the right kind of note," answered
Frank.

"I say," suggested Dick, "suppose we each write a note and the one
that's best, goes."

"Good idea," replied Frank, "and let's do it now, right here."

So they sat down to frame the note. For ten minutes not a word was
spoken. Each boy at his own place was poring over a few lines he had
written and then scratched, and then written again.

The silence was broken at last by Frank's voice exclaiming, "Well, who's
through?" No reply. "I say fellows, I can't get started."

"Ditto," echoed Dick.

"Me too!" chimed in Ned.

Each boy had about ten pages partly written and scratched or torn. They
had never before realized the arduous task of a diplomat. For this had
to be a real diplomatic note. A lot was at stake, and a single word
might spoil everything. At least so they fancied.

"Let's do it at home, and get down here early tomorrow night and settle
it," said Dick.

"Agreed," exclaimed Frank and Ned together. And so hearty was their
approval that they