dum pad before Bannon had finished
speaking. He made a false start or two, but presently got something that
seemed to please him. He rang for his office boy, and told him to take
it to the _Eagle_ office.

"It's got to be done in an hour," said Bannon. "That's when the
procession moves," he added; as Sloan looked at him questioningly.

The other nodded. "In an hour," he said to the office boy. "What are you
going to do in an hour?" he asked, as the boy went out.

"Why, it'll be four o'clock then, and we ought to start for Manistogee
as early as we can."

"We! Well, I should think not!" said Sloan.

"You're going to drive me over with that fast mare of yours, aren't
you?"

Sloan laughed. "Look at it rain out there."

"Best thing in the world for a sand road," said Bannon. "And we'll wash,
I guess. Both been wet before."

"But it's twenty-five miles over there--twenty-five to thirty."

Bannon looked at his watch. "We ought to get there by ten o'clock, I
should think."

"Ten o'clock! What do you think she is--a sawhorse! She never took more
than two hours to Manistogee in her life."

The corners of Bannon's mouth twitched expressively. Sloan laughed
again. "I guess it's up to me this time," he said.

Before they started Sloan telephoned to the _Eagle_ office to tell them
to print a full-sized reproduction of his poster on the front page of
the Ledyard _Evening Eagle_.

"Crowd their news a little, won't it?" Bannon asked.

Sloan shook his head. "That helps 'em out in great shape."

The _Eagle_ did not keep them waiting. The moment Sloan pulled up his
impatient mare before the office door, the editor ran out, bare-headed,
in the rain, with the posters.

"They're pretty wet yet," he said.

"That's all right. I only want a handful. Send the others to my office.
They know what to do with 'em."

"I was glad to print them," the editor went on deferentially. "You have
expressed our opinion of the G. & M. exactly."

"Guess I did," said Sloan as they drove away. "The reorganized G. & M.
decided they didn't want to carry him around the country on a pass."

Bannon pulled out one of the sheets and opened it on his knee. He
whistled as he read the first sentence, and swore appreciatively over
the next. When he had finished, he buttoned the waterproof apron and
rubbed his wet hands over his knees. "It's grand," he said. "I never saw
anything like it."

Sloan spoke to the mare. He had held her back as they jolte