Mark Tidd, Editor Part 25

"Then," says he, "whatever those f-fellers do is mighty int'restin' to me."

"All right," says I. "What of it?"

"I'm f-figgerin'," says he, "on how we could git to l-listen a little to what they was sayin'."

"Eavesdroppin'," says I, scornful-like.

"When men is up to a game and s-sneaks off to p-plan it," he says, "it's not eavesdroppin' to listen. They git what's comin' to 'em."

"Have it that way, then," says I.

"But," says he, "g-gittin' so's we can listen hain't so easy. Let's go outside and look around."

We went, and as we walked down-stairs Mark says, "The p'litical fight in this county this fall is over the sheriff."

"I know it," says I.

"Then," says he, "if two men that's p'litical enemies is seen hobn.o.bbin', most likely the sheriff's got somethin' to do with it.

Bowman's the man that's got the job now, and Whittaker wants to git the Republican nomination away from him. Now, takin' for granted that pow-wow up there's about the sheriff, why, what be they d-doin' about it?"

"How should I know?" says I.

We stopped a minute at the door, and Mark says, "How's the fight for sheriff gettin' on?"

"Perty hot," says a man-"perty almighty hot."

"Brown's for Bowman, hain't he?" says Mark.

"No," says the man; "where'd you git that idee? He's strong for Whittaker."

"How's Wiggins?"

"n.o.body knows, but fellers that pertends to be wise figgers he's for Bowman-jest so's to be for anybody Brown is against."

"Huh!" says Mark. "What d'you calc'late 'u'd happen if Brown and Wiggins was to make up f-friends and work for the same man?"

"It couldn't happen," says the man, "but if it did, with the batch of delegates each one of 'em controls in the convention, the man they agreed on would have a walk-away."

"Hum!" says Mark. "Is Brown awful strong for Whittaker?"

"Whittaker's best friend he's got. Why, Whittaker lent him the money to go into business first, and has always been befriendin' him, and two year ago Brown up and married Whittaker's sister."

"So," says Mark, "there hain't much danger of his switchin' to Bowman?"

"He jest _couldn't_," says the man.

"Hum!" says Mark. "Int'restin' to hear. Much obliged, mister."

We walked on, and all of a sudden Mark chuckled right out. "Binney,"

says he, "we don't need to go listenin' to what those f-f-fellers is talkin' about. I know."

"Shucks!" says I.

"Wait and see," says he. "We'll walk around a while and then go back and see Wiggins."

Which we did. In half an hour we went back, and after looking around a spell we found Wiggins in his office. In we went.

"Howdy-do, Mr. Wiggins!" says Mark, "I'm Mark Tidd, of Wicksville, and this is Binney Jenks."

"Glad to meet you," says Mr. Wiggins. "What can I do for you?"

"Why," says Mark, "we come on b-business. I'm editor of the Wicksville _Trumpet_" he says, "and the Wicksville _Trumpet_ needs some good steady advertisin'. So," says he, "we come to see if we couldn't git the c-county p-printin' for the next year."

"H'm!" says Mr. Wiggins, his eyes twinkling like he wanted to laugh.

"Juvenile paper? Amateur editor?"

"Not any," says Mark. "Reg'lar weekly," and he showed Mr. Wiggins a copy.

"Mean to say you boys are running this?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," says Mark.

"Well," says Mr. Wiggins, "the way this printing is given out, the papers that want it make bids telling how much the county will have to pay, and then the bids are opened and the job goes to the lowest."

"Sure," says Mark, "that's the gen'ral idee of it, but," he says, "most gen'ally the f-feller gits it that's got the most p'litical pull, don't he, honest Injun?"

Mr. Wiggins laughed. "Well," he said, "maybe politics does have something to do with it. If you think that, what made you come?"

"Because," says Mark, "Binney and me is p-politicians, and we got pull."

"Oh," says Mr. Wiggins. "What influence have you to bring to bear?"

"Why," says Mark, "we sort of f-f-figger on _yours_, and on Mr.

Brown's."

Mr. Wiggins laughed right out. "Don't you know," says he, "that Brown and I don't live in the same nest at all? You couldn't get the two of us to agree on anything to save your life. And, besides, I never saw you or heard of you before. How do you figure you have _my_ influence?"

"Because," says Mark, "we calc'late to be reg'lar p-politicians and see farther into what's goin' on than m-most folks, and because you want us on your side a l-little worse 'n you want 'most anybody else in the county."

"Now look here, sonny," says Mr. Wiggins, "I'm pretty busy, and, while I like boys and am willing to fool with 'em, to-day I'm short of time.

Come in some other day."

"Wait a m-minute," says Mark, "till we tell you how we size up this here sheriff fight." He didn't wait for Wiggins to say he could, but jumped right into it.

"This here is the hardest f-f-fight for sheriff in years," says he, "and anybody that b-beats out Bowman's got a job on his hands, eh?"

"Yes," says Wiggins.