"Figure how much five hundred--or say, a thousand will cost," ventured
Ned.

"A thousand! Where will you send them?" cried Jinks.

"I should say, figure on five thousand--or ten," said Uncle Ben,
quietly.

"What!" gasped several boys.

"Yes, because ten thousand will not cost much more than three hundred."

"How's that?" asked the boys.

"Plates, linotype, lock-up, make-ready, will cost as much for one
magazine as for one thousand. The only extra cost in getting out a
quantity is in paper, ink and time. Now, I firmly believe that we will
be able to send out ten thousand by the time you have them ready."

"Well, Uncle Ben, it sounds _awful_ big to us, particularly as we
haven't one single subscription, yet," said Ruth.

"Here--here, Fluff, don't let that bother you!" said Mr. Talmage,
throwing a five-dollar bill upon the table.

"And here's for ten more!" laughed Aunt Selina, taking a twenty-dollar
bill from her purse.

"Here's for five orphan asylums," added Mrs. Catlin placing a ten-dollar
note on the table.

"How now, Fluff--where are your blues, eh?" teased Uncle Ben.

The children saw the crisp notes lying on the table and felt the joy of
a successful start.

"From what Aunt Selina and Mrs. Talmage offered, it looks as if the
price should be two dollars per year. Now, let us figure out how close
we come to that," said Uncle Ben.

After counting up cost of production plus cost of mailing, it was
decided that two dollars would be a just price, but there would be
little profit unless more money could be gotten for advertising, or some
saving made.

"Guess we've about completed our business for to-day," ventured Uncle
Ben, as he noticed the children growing restless.

"Yes, let us go to the house and have some nice cool lemonade and
cookies," suggested Mr. Talmage.

Eager looks turned toward Mrs. Talmage, and she laughed.

"We're always ready for something good to eat, father, so you show us
the way to the picnic."

It took but a few moments for the children to reach the wide veranda and
settle down comfortably until the maids brought out the refreshments.

"A day's work always ought to finish like this," mused Don, munching a
delicious piece of cake.

CHAPTER VIII

AUNT SELINA'S CIVIL WAR STORY

The children thoroughly enjoyed their refreshments. Aunt Selina did not
care for any, so she sat smiling as she watched them.

"As long as Flutey isn't busy, wouldn't it be nice to have