rights." "I must finish that order," thought he, "for
orders are business; even if a firm is dissolved, the remaining partner
is bound to complete the work." So he manfully invested some capital in
the type for degrees, minutes and seconds, closed the contract and
received extra pay for his neatness and quickness.

But he grew tired and longed for companionship, so that when Shel
appeared, he found Pete quite dejected, willing to listen to terms of
partnership, but utterly unwilling to have anything more to do with
Clarence.

"Very well," said Shel, "I'll give him up if you'll give up some one
else, and then we'll start even."

"Why, I never thought of any one."

"Never mind," was the reply, "make believe you did; just like
politics--each of us gives up his best man and takes an unknown third
man. We must agree on one who has a self-inker larger than this and lots
of type. I want to extend the business."

"Why can't we begin at once as Jones, Downs & Co., and when we find the
right kind of boy let him be Co."

"Agreed, we'll get out hand-bills at once."

That evening the large trees on the road down to the village
post-office, the doors of the grocery, the dry goods, the apothecary and
provision stores--even the depot itself--bore large placards with the
following announcement:

JONES, DOWNS & CO.,

Job Printers,

_Orders promptly executed._

Many a tired man stopped his horse that night and through the next week
to read those staring notices. The schoolboys made fun of the new
concern, wondered how long it would last and tried to rouse distrust of
each other in the minds of the two partners, who saw that if they could
only obtain orders they could boast that they understood the tricks of
the trade and knew the use of advertisements; and so it proved.

For, the city music-teacher coming to the village was so amused by these
white patches on the trees that she sought their shop and gave them an
order to print her bill; and when the young townspeople received,
instead of a written bill, one printed in due form by those at whom they
had laughed, they became strangely silent. Soon came an order for some
tags for a large family with an endless amount of baggage, all to be
marked alike, as easier to read. An actual stranger sent an order for
work. The village calling increased so fast that it was difficult to
meet the demands for visiting cards. At last came an order from a church
fair for hand-bill