s heating atop. Here they
toasted through and through; then clumped stiffly down to the Englishes'
house, where Johnny exhibited his other presents. They were varied,
numerous and expensive. Bobby's Christmas was as dear to him as ever;
but it no longer filled the sky. Another and higher mountain had lifted
itself beyond his ranges. The eagerness to exhibit triumphantly to
Johnny which, up to this moment, he had with difficulty restrained, was
suddenly dashed. It hardly seemed worth while.

"Come over and see my things," he suggested without much enthusiasm.

"It's dinner time now, Bobby," objected Mrs. English, who had just come
in. "After dinner."

"All right; after dinner, then," agreed Bobby. "Bring Caroline," he
added as an after-thought.

That demure damsel had also her array of presents, of which she seemed
very proud, but which did not interest Bobby in the slightest. They
seemed to be silver-handled scissors, and pincushions, and embroidered
handkerchief-holders and similar rubbish.

But when Johnny--without Caroline--appeared shortly after the elaborate
Christmas dinner the production of which constituted Grandma Orde's
chief delight in the day, Bobby's enthusiasm returned. Johnny went wild
over the printing press. Experience with the toy press had given him a
basis of comparison.

"My!" he ejaculated at last, "I believe I'd rather have this than Bobby
Junior!

"Now," continued Johnny, "we can get all sorts of orders. I'll ask papa
about envelopes and letter-heads this evening."

XIX

THE BOXING MATCH

Early after breakfast next morning appeared Johnny.

"I asked Papa about envelopes. He says he won't give us an order until
he sees samples of the type and the work, but he says if we can do it as
well as the regular printer, he doesn't mind giving us an order for a
thousand. Here's one."

The boys ascended at once to Bobby's room. Investigation of the fonts
showed that the firm possessed the proper type. Bobby set up the matter
in the composing stick--and promptly pied it when he attempted to move
it to the chase. He had forgotten to put a lead in first, so there was
nothing to bind the top line. Redistribution and rectification of the
error were in order. It took a good half-hour to get the type properly
arranged in the chase. When single letters did not drop through from the
middle, the ends of the lines fell away, and then, try as they would,
the boys were unable to lock the stickful