“It sounds like a good scheme,” commented the chemist. “I’ll get right to work on the stain-removing mixture.” “And I’ll look after the advertisement,” said Mr. Newton. “Suppose a lot of people come to have stains removed?” suggested Mr. Hosfer. “What am I to do?” “Why, remove the stains, of course,” replied Mr. Newton. “You may to be able to make a lot of money out of this.” “I’ll lose a lot of valuable time,” said the chemist. “But never mind, I’ll do it to help you out.” The next day there appeared in several papers an advertisement to the effect that the celebrated chemist, Mr. Hosfer, would remove stains of all kinds from the hands or face for a moderate sum. All cases were to be treated in strict confidence, and no questions were to be asked, it was stated. “There, that ought to catch him,” said Mr. Newton, as he read it over. It was several days before he was able to pay Mr. Hosfer a visit again. When he and Larry called on the chemist they found him busier than ever in his laboratory. “Did he come?” asked Mr. Newton. “Did he come?” repeated Mr. Hosfer. “Say, I’m sorry I ever consented to this. I’ll bet I’ve removed stains from a hundred hands in the last two days! I’m nearly exhausted by the business.” “But did Noddy come?” “I’ll tell you all about it,” said Mr. Hosfer, laying aside a test tube, and sitting down in a chair. CHAPTER XVIII ELECTION NIGHT “I had no idea,” the chemist continued, “how many people there were in New York who had stains that they desired removed from their hands or faces. It’s astonishing, that’s what it is. Men and women came here, covered with ink, or else marked with acids and chemicals, and wanted me to make ’em look nice again so they could go to a dance, or appear in public. Mothers brought their sons and daughters, all marked up from playing with paint or something else, and wanted me to make ’em right again.” “But did Noddy come?” insisted Mr. Newton. “Wait, I’m coming to that,” replied Mr. Hosfer, “but I have to tell it in my own way. After about a hundred ordinary people had called on me, I began to think our trap was a failure, since the bird we wanted did not come. In the meanwhile I had used up about ten dollars’ worth of chemicals removing stains.” “Didn’t any of them offer to pay you?” asked Larry. “Not a one,” replied the chemist, sadly. “I guess they thought this was a dispensary for the poor. Well, never mind that. But last evening, just as I was about to close up the shop, there came a ring at the bell, and in came a man, who, the minute I set eyes on him, I knew to be the person we wanted.” “It was Noddy, eh?” asked Mr. Newton. “That’s who it was. He had on a pair of gloves, and he seemed quite nervous. He wanted to know if it was all straight about the advertisement, and I told him it was. That I wouldn’t ask any questions, but would remove any stains he might have, and only charge him a small sum.”