to
plug up that hole in your program to-night. He stated that it would give
him great pleasure to come to the assistance of such charming young
women, et cetera, and that he could be counted upon."

"You two mean things!" exclaimed Kate. "We saw you with your heads
together out there, laughing. This is no joking matter at all."

"We are serious," Jack protested. "Positively. You go ahead and announce
that owing to an attack of croup, or any other reason, Prof. Robison will
not be able to appear, but that Prof. Click has kindly consented to
substitute, and we will look after the rest."

"Do you really mean it?" cried the girls.

"On our word as full-grown gentlemen," responded Jack. "But we're not
going to explain.

"Come on, Alex, until we have further debate with the distinguished Turk
up in the garret. He probably has arrived by this time."

Whatever doubts Kate had as to the seriousness of the boys' intentions,
they had not only been dissipated by noon, but had given place to lively
curiosity and expectation. Alex and Jack had devoted the entire morning
to their mysterious preparations; had made numerous trips to the church
school-room, to the stores; had borrowed needles, thread, mucilage; had
turned the library shelves upside-down in a search for certain books; and
once, coming on them unawares, she had surprised them practising strange
incantations with their fingers.

It was late in the afternoon that the serious, and what was to prove the
most important, feature of the evening's performance developed. On a
return trip to the dry-goods store Jack drew Alex to a halt with an
exclamation, and pointed across the street. Burke, the real estate man,
was walking slowly along with a shrivelled-up little old gentleman in
dilapidated hat, faded garments, and top-boots.

"The victim!" said Jack with deep disgust. "Old Uncle Joe Potter.

"Look at him sporting along with a cigar in his mouth--one of Burke's
cigars!"

The boys parallelled the oddly assorted pair some distance, and it could
readily be seen that Burke was doing his best to win the old man's
confidence, and that the latter already was much impressed with the
attention and deference shown him by the well-dressed agent.

"If we could get the old man alone," said Alex.

"Not much chance, I am afraid. Now that he has him in hand, Burke
probably won't lose sight of him until he has closed his bargain.
Remember what he said just before we left the train