st in public affairs, but even if there is something
said, it won't matter much to us once we've got the money. It'll be a
nine days' wonder and then we'll hear no more of it.'

As the Chief ceased speaking, the other brigands also remained silent,
speechless with admiration of his cleverness.

'Well, what do you think of it?' he asked.

'Think of it!' cried Grinder, enthusiastically. 'I think it's
splendid! Nothing could be better. If we can honly git away with it,
I reckon it'll be one of the smartest thing we've ever done.'

'Smart ain't the word for it,' observed Rushton.

'There's no doubt it's a grand idear!' exclaimed Didlum, 'and I've just
thought of something else that might be done to help it along. We could
arrange to 'ave a lot of letters sent "To the Editor of the Obscurer"
and "To the Editor of the Ananias," and "To the Editor of the Weekly
Chloroform" in favour of the scheme.'

'Yes, that's a very good idea,' said Grinder. 'For that matter the
editors could write them to themselves and sign them "Progress",
"Ratepayer", "Advance Mugsborough", and sich-like.'

'Yes, that's all right,' said the Chief, thoughtfully, 'but we must be
careful not to overdo it; of course there will have to be a certain
amount of publicity, but we don't want to create too much interest in
it.'

'Come to think of it,' observed Rushton arrogantly, 'why should we
trouble ourselves about the opinion of the ratepayers at all? Why
should we trouble to fake the books, or declare a dividend or 'ave the
harticles in the papers or anything else? We've got the game in our
own 'ands; we've got a majority in the Council, and, as Mr Sweater ses,
very few people even take the trouble to read the reports of the
meetings.'

'Yes, that's right enough,' said Grinder. 'But it's just them few wot
would make a lot of trouble and talk; THEY'RE the very people we 'as to
think about. If we can only manage to put THEM in a fog we'll be all
right, and the way to do it is as Mr Sweater proposes.'

'Yes, I think so,' said the Chief. 'We must be very careful. I can
work it all right in the Ananias and the Chloroform, and of course
you'll see that the Obscurer backs us up.'

'I'll take care of that,' said Grinder, grimly.

The three local papers were run by limited companies. Sweater held
nearly all the shares of the Ananias and of the Weekly Chloroform, and
controlled their policy and contents. Grinder occupied the same
position wit