thousand feet of tough oak planking this afternoon
for Dad, and I'll have to do the same thing to-morrow afternoon. He's got
a big job on, and I have to pitch in and help him."

"Well, you ought to do something to pay for all the good grub you pack
away," said Herb, utterly without sympathy for his friend's tale of woe.

"Maybe you'd pack away more if you did a little work once in a while,"
retorted Jimmy. "All you do is spend your time thinking up poor jokes
instead of doing something useful."

"Oh, I'm glad you mentioned jokes," said Herb, calmly ignoring Jimmy's
attack. "I thought of a swell one just as I was walking up here this
evening. I know you will all be delighted to hear it."

"What makes you so sure?" asked Bob. "They don't usually delight anybody,
do they?"

"Of course they do," replied Herb, indignantly.

"They always delight Herb Fennington, anyway," observed Joe.

"Yes, I like me," said Herb, refusing to get mad. "Also, I like my jokes.
Now, take this one, for instance. Why----"

"I'd rather not take it, if it's all the same to you," said Joe, cruelly.
"Why don't you keep it, and give it to somebody else, Herb?"

"Oh, forget it!" exclaimed Herb. "This is a good joke, I tell you, and
you've got to listen, whether you want to or not."

"Go ahead and get the agony over with, then," said Bob, resignedly. "I
suppose we'll be able to live through it, just as we have others before
this."

"Well, I saw in this morning's newspaper that the Mercury Athletic Club in
New York burned up last night. Now, you've got to help me out with this
joke, Bob. When I say 'I see there was a big athletic event at the Mercury
Athletic Club last night,' you say 'is that so? What happened?' Have you
got that through your noddle?"

"Yes, I guess I can remember that," answered Bob. "Shoot!"

"All right, then, here goes," said Herb. "I see that there was a big
athletic event at the Mercury Athletic Club last night, Bob."

"Is that so?" said Bob, taking his cue. "What happened, Herb?"

"The water was running and the flames were leaping," cried Herb,
triumphantly. "How's that for a crackerjack joke?"

"Awful," said Joe, although he could not help laughing with the others.
"I'll bet there's a nice cosy, padded cell waiting for you in the nearest
bughouse, Herb."

"Well, it can wait, for all of me," said his friend. "I'm not very keen
about it, myself."

"I think jail would be a better place for him," suggested Jimmy.