"I was wondering what has come over you," said Dan, ungraciously. "You
used to be a nice kid. Now you're an angel one minute and a devil the
next."

Willy spoke to him that night when they were setting out rows of
seedlings, under the supervision of Jinx.

"I wouldn't worry her, Dan," he said; "it is the spring, probably. It
gets into people, you know. I'm that way myself. I'd give a lot to be in
the country just now."

Dan glanced at him quickly, but whatever he may have had in his mind, he
said nothing just then. However, later on he volunteered:

"She's got something on her mind. I know her. But I won't have her
talking back to mother."

A week or so after Willy Cameron had moved, Mr. Hendricks rang the bell
of the Boyd house, and then, after his amiable custom, walked in.

"Oh, Cameron!" he bawled.

"Upstairs," came Willy Cameron's voice, somewhat thickened with carpet
tacks. So Mr. Hendricks climbed part of the way, when he found his head
on a level with that of the young gentleman he sought, who was nailing a
rent in the carpet.

"Don't stop," said Mr. Hendricks. "Merely friendly call. And for
heaven's sake don't swallow a tack, son. I'm going to need you."

"Whaffor?" inquired Willy Cameron, through his nose.

"Don't know yet. Make speeches, probably. If Howard Cardew, or any
Cardew, thinks he's going to be mayor of this town, he's got to think
again."

"I don't give a tinker's dam who's mayor of this town, so long as he
gives it honest government."

"That's right," said Mr. Hendricks approvingly. "Old Cardew's been
running it for years, and you could put all the honest government he's
given us in a hollow tooth. If you'll stop that hammering, I'd like to
make a proposition to you."

Willy Cameron took an admiring squint at his handiwork.

"Sorry to refuse you, Mr. Hendricks, but I don't want to be mayor."

Mr. Hendricks chuckled, as Willy Cameron led the way to his room. He
wandered around the room while Cameron opened a window and slid the dog
off his second chair.

"Great snakes!" he said. "Spargo's Bolshevism! Political Economy,
History of--. What are you planning to be? President?"

"I haven't decided yet. It's a hard job, and mighty thankless. But I
won't be your mayor, even for you."

Mr. Hendricks sat down.

"All right," he said. "Of course if you'd wanted it!" He took two large
cigars from the row in his breast pocket and held one out, but Willy
Cameron refused it and got his pip