I wished and wished to go away from that--that place--and now I made
up my mind that we're going to--going to--make a lot of money for--for
you--I just did."

She did not say how they were going to do it.

CHAPTER XII

THE ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

The next morning Pee-wee strode forth and made the magnanimous sacrifice
heroically. He found Deadwood Gamely in front of Simeon Drowser's
village store, talking with two men who sat in an auto.

The auto was so large and handsome that it looked out of place in front
of Simeon Drowser's store, and the men who occupied it looked like
city men. It encouraged Pee-wee ( or rather confirmed his assurance
of success) to see this sumptuous car in Everdoze, for it proved that
people did come to that sequestered village. He pictured these two
prosperous looking business men with frankfurters in their hands, their
mouths dripping with mustard.

Pee-wee was nothing if not self-possessed, his scout uniform was his
protection, and he strode up and spoke quite to the point to the young
fellow who leaned against the car with one foot on the running board.

"We decided not to take you in as a partner," he said, "because we want
to have it all to ourselves and I came to tell you."

Deadwood Gamely seemed rather taken aback, but whether it was because
of this refusal of his offer, or because Pee-wee's loud announcement
embarrassed him before the strangers it would be hard to say. Seeing
that the diminutive scout no longer held the deadly stencil brush he
removed Pee-wee's hat with a swaggering good humor, ruffled his hair,
and said (rather disconcertedly), "All right, kiddo; so long."

Pee-wee had anticipated an argument with Gamely and he was surprised at
the promptness and agreeableness of his dismissal. Two things, one seen
and one heard, remained in his memory as he trudged back to the farm.
One was a brief case lying on the back seat of the auto on which was
printed WALLACE CONSTRUCTION CO. The other was something he heard one of
the men say after he had returned a little way along the road.

"I didn't think you were such a fool," the man said, evidently to young
Gamely. Within a few seconds more the auto was rolling away.

It seemed to Pee-wee that Gamely had told the men of his proposal to
join the big enterprise and that they had denounced his wisdom and
judgment.

But Pee-wee was not the one to be discouraged by that. "Maybe they know
all about c