s joking," Paul answered slowly. "And anyway, even
if he were, I don't have to take it as a joke. I can take him seriously,
fulfill his contract, and make him live up to his agreement, can't I?
Then if the whole thing were a joke, the joke would be on him."

Mr. Cameron gazed into the boy's eager face a few seconds, then smiled
suddenly.

"That's not a bad idea," he observed. "We'd have Carter fast in his own
trap then."

"To be sure."

"By Jove, Paul--if I haven't half a mind to help you out!" He slapped
his son on the shoulder. "I'll do it! I declare if I won't. I'll send in
my subscription to the _Echo_ to-morrow. I needn't read the thing, even
if I do take it. What other tasks did the old schemer impose on you?"

"I've got to get some ads for him--ten of them."

"Whew!"

"And I've got to ask Judge Damon for six articles on The League of
Nations."

"Ha, ha! That's a good one," chuckled Mr. Cameron. "The League of
Nations is like a red rag to the Judge. He can't be trusted to speak of
it, let alone writing about it."

"Mr. Carter said Judge Damon was an expert on international law,"
explained Paul.

"So he is, so he is! But he isn't expressing his opinion of The League
of Nations, just the same."

"You think he wouldn't do the articles?"

"Do them? Mercy, no!"

"Then I guess it was all a joke," murmured Paul, with a wistful,
disappointed quiver of the lip.

Mr. Cameron saw the joyousness fade from the young face.

"It was contemptible for him to put up such a game on you kids!" he
ejaculated.

Thrusting his hands into his pockets he stared up at the ceiling.

"I'm not so sure," he presently remarked slowly, "but what, if your
uncle knew the circumstances, he might be coaxed into meeting Carter's
demand."

"Do you think so?"

Again courage shone in Paul's eyes.

"I'm pretty sure of it."

The lad's brow became radiant.

"I'll see Damon myself," went on Cameron humorously. "I'll tell him I
have yielded up my preferences for the common good and that he must do
the same. His son Carl is in your class, isn't he?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then it's as much his duty to help on 1920 as mine. He adores that boy
of his. You leave him to me. I'll bring him round to our way of thinking
all right."

"And the ads?"

"Set your classmates on their fathers," was the terse reply as the elder
man clapped on his hat and left the house.

Paul watched him out of sight, then sighed a happy little sigh of
satisfa