to land?" that the premier, without even the trace
of a blush, answered in two words, and that one of them rhymed with
"well."

"The Big Wind" resumed his address at eight o'clock at night and
concluded it at eleven, with a few playful allusions to the Peninsular
War and an expression of regret that time did not permit of his dealing
with other matters no less important.

And this was the man that Mid-Toronto was asked to return again because
his own party was afraid to antagonise him, and the opposition felt
that they hadn't a ghost of show to carry a riding that for twenty
years had beaten their candidates by large majorities. It looked
indeed as though "The Big Wind" might be elected by acclamation.

Two weeks before the official nomination, Whimple, himself a dabbler in
politics and a supporter of the government, heard, with other rumours,
that an independent candidate would be in the field in Mid-Toronto, and
the next morning the rumours were declared, by no less a personage than
William Adolphus Turnpike, to have truth as their foundation.

"You live in Mid-Toronto, William," said Whimple, jocularly, "and you
ought to know what's going on there!"

"Well, I know a few things," said William, smilingly.

"Such as----" and Whimple paused.

"Politics," said William, grinning.

"Yes!"

"A fight--a fight, and it'll be a loller-palluselar."

"A what?"

"That's just a word my Pa uses, Mister Whimple--honest, I couldn't say
it more'n once a day."

"And who's going to fight 'The Big Wind,' pray?"

"The People's Party."

"The--what--oh! I say, William, what kind of a game is this?"

"No yarn--it's straight goods. The People's Party was formed last
night, and picked their man."

"But, how do you know that? There's nothing in the papers about it
this morning."

"No, because Tommy Watson's the press agent and secretary, and he says
it's time enough to give it to the papers to-night, so he's going to do
it."

"Tommy Watson! What on earth is he butting in for? He doesn't live in
the riding!"

"No, but he was at the meetin', him and a few others--about seven
altogether--and he says, 'I'll keep the minutes,' he says, 'and load up
the papers.' The meetin' was held in our house," William went on, "and
my Pa was elected to the chair. Gee! it was an elegant meetin': Pa
made a corking speech. He says, '"The Big Wind" ain't to blame much
for thinking he's the white-haired darlin',' he says, 'because his