vyweight step some if he had taken to the
ring as a profession.

"To see and hear the two of them is a treat. It reminds one of a
battleship being convoyed by a clean cut little motor launch. And
to hear them! The old man is constantly deploring--"

At this moment there cut through the abnormal quiet of the smoky
city room the deep growl of its autocrat, "Iron Man" Hite. Jimmy
stopped. Hite was calling his name. No one who was not deaf ever
let Hite call him twice.

"Hey, Hale," roared the voice.

Jimmy reached the dais of the man who was said to be the best and
the cruellest city editor in the newspaper game.

"Jimmy, your vacation begins next week, doesn't it?"

Jimmy nodded and looked at his superior expectantly. Hite
continued:

"Your little tin god, Professor Herman Brierly, is spending the
summer up in Canada, isn't he?"

Jimmy nodded again.

"Howdje like to spend your vacation up there with Brierly at the
paper's expense?"

Jimmy made no effort to hide the suspicion in his eyes. He had
heard of Greeks bearing gifts, particularly when the Greek took
the shape of his city editor.

"What do you mean, my vacation at the paper's expense? I get my
pay during my two weeks' vacation, don't I?"

"Yes, but the paper is willing to pay all the expenses of your
vacation besides. What do you think of that?"

The suspicion in Jimmy's eyes grew deeper. He knew his city
editor. There was--Hite cut in on his reflections.

"A swell chance for you to spend part or all of your vacation with
Professor Brierly and your friend, Matthews. District Attorney
McCall is up there too. Brierly is in McCall's shack." He was
becoming enthusiastic. "Just think of a vacation at the paper's
expense in--"

"I was planning to spend my vacation elsewhere," said Jimmy
coldly. "Besides, Professor Brierly doesn't want any visitors. He
needs a rest. Jack consented to go up there with the Professor
only on condition that McCall doesn't talk shop. I've got my
vacation all planned."

"But Jimmy, up there where Brierly is you can get the best ale in
the world--and beer--say, just thinking of it makes my mouth water.
If you must drink you ought to go up there for a spell instead of
drinking this needled beer and the lousy hootch you get in the
speakeasies. And that lake up there, Lake Memphremagog, is one of
the most beautiful in the world. Just the thing for a newspaperman.
Why Jimmy--"

"All right, I'll bite. What do you want me to