lways seemed to be a lot of vital matters to discuss. But here
there isn't anything after a little spiel on the crops and a paragraph
on politics. I don't dare go in heavy there, for I'm not sure just what
Morse's position is, and don't want to commit him. I can't think of any
public enterprise to work up, or any nuisance to be suppressed."

"I wish you'd suppress mosquitoes and flies," said Hannah, brushing away
one of the latter insects, and petting a swollen place on her wrist.

"Why not write an editorial on it?" suggested Catherine. "You can give
him material to read, can't you, Algernon?"

Algernon came over to the corner where the three were talking in tones
fitting a library.

"What's that? O, indeed, yes," and the boy's face lightened with
pleasure as he found some one really desiring information of a worthy
nature. "I'll get you something right away. There was an article in a
last month's magazine."

"I could do elegant head-lines," said Max:

"KEROSENE THE KONQUEROR!
MOSQUITOES MASSACRED!
THE FLIGHT OF THE FLY!"

As Algernon brought the magazine and a book, Alice and Frieda arrived in
their party raiment, and, bidding the boys good-by, the four girls
drifted out and down the street looking like pretty butterflies.

Max lingered for a few minutes' chat with Algernon about the paper,
telling him some of his difficulties and desires. Algernon's store of
information proved of value here, too, and Max accepted gratefully a
hint or two about the mechanical part of the work.

"I say, Swinburne," he said suddenly, as he got up to go, taking fly and
mosquito literature with him, "couldn't you get off and run up to
Madison for a few days this fall? I'd like to show you around and have
you meet some of the fellows. If I were you, I'd try to pass off a few
subjects. You could, without half trying, and perhaps you'd be able to
get up and take your degree some time."

"Thanks," said Algernon, "I'll think about it," and Max went whistling
away; but Algernon, as he selected a fairy tale for the little Hamilton
girl, felt his heart light and his courage high. "I'll get to college
yet, as true as I'm alive," he said aloud, and the little Hamilton girl
looked up at him. "What did you say?" she asked. "I don't want true
stories, but fairy ones."

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE THREE R'S

The meeting of the Three R's the next evening was one of particular
importance. Not only to the eager reporters, who