“Yes, and then they wanted to see the whole board. They come from Wicksville.” At that President James shot a kind of a look at us and stepped a little closer. “What about Wicksville?” says he. Wiggamore interrupted. “These kids,” says he, “have been making a pest of themselves there. I don’t know why they came here, but I’ll ’tend to them. I’ll see they don’t disturb you any more.” “Um!... Four boys don’t come ’way to the city from Wicksville and try to break into a board meeting without there’s something back of it. We’ve been talking about that Wicksville situation this morning, and if these boys can clear it up any I’d like to talk to them. As for me, I don’t understand it.” “We kin clear it up a l-l-lot,” says Mark. “Just take us into that meeting and l-l-let us tell you.” “It’s nonsense,” says Wiggamore. “It’s some kind of a kid practical joke.” “Kids don’t joke like this,” says President James. “Come in, all of you. If there’s nothing to it we won’t waste a great deal of time finding it out.” So in we went, and there were six men sitting around a table, looking sour and impatient, and every one of them gave us a scowl as we came in. Wiggamore came along. “Gentlemen,” says President James, “here are four boys from Wicksville—and Mr. Wiggamore. Maybe between them we can get some satisfactory idea of what is happening there.” “What have a crowd of kids to do with it?” said a fat man. “I’m sure I don’t know. Best way to find out is to ask ’em,” says President James. “What are you here for, boys?” “To fight,” says Mark, just like that. “Fight, eh? What for?” “First for the p-p-principle of the thing, and then for our rights,” says Mark. “What principle, son?” “Decent b-b-business,” says Mark. “Um!... Decent business! What’s your name, young man? And why do you mention a principle ahead of your rights?” “My name’s Mark Tidd—Marcus Aurelius Fortunatus Tidd, and these f-f-fellers are Tallow Martin, Plunk Smalley, and Binney Jenks. We put p-p-principle first because it looks to us like it was consid’able more important to see everything in the world done square than just to see one little thing that concerns us done square.” The men around the table kind of leaned forward and looked at Mark close and interested. “Go ahead,” says President James. “I protest,” says Wiggamore. “These boys have got in my way, and they’re here with lying stories about me. I protest against wasting our time with a lot of kids.” “Oh, I wouldn’t do that,” says President James. “It looks like they had something to say, and I’m for listening to them. This Mark Tidd made an interesting start.” “Let ’em go ahead,” says the fat director, and he nodded to Mark.