"It's all right, statesman. You don't hear me making any complaints. All
I ask is a little _resume_ of what you've been doing since you so
cleverly lost me. In Reform to the ears, I suppose?"

Peter again looked rather surprised at his chief's easy indifference.

"You want that part of it first? Well," he said rapidly, "I've been
trying to do four days' work for Reform in one, and a pinch it's been to
make both ends meet, I can tell you. At it practically without a break
since I left you last night. J. Pinkney took me right in and bared his
soul. Said he was down and out and beaten to a fluid. A clever little
devil fast enough, but no more idea of how to play the game than a baby
baboon. When he caught on to what I wanted to do for him, he would have
fallen on my neck except that he isn't that kind. That was this morning.
I worked out my idea in the still watches: couldn't sleep for thinking
of it. It just means this: if my plans carry through Hare gets the
biggest hearing to-night that this old town can give. And I think
they'll carry all right. You wouldn't be interested in the details. Now
this other thing--"

"Oh, but I would, though! Give me at least a peep behind the scenes
before you dash on. What about these plans of yours?"

Peter laid down the newspaper with which he had been busily fanning
himself. A sudden light came into his eyes.

"I'll tell you just how it all happened," he said in an eager voice.
"Only I'll have to hurry, as I'm due back in town right away--that is,
of course, unless you should need me for anything. Well, I left Hare