“I can't find out what Bascom and Botcher are doing,” Mr. Flint went on; “I don't get any reports--they haven't been here. Perhaps you know. They've had trip passes enough to move the whole population of Putnam County. Fairplay says they're gettin' delegates for Adam Hunt instead of Giles Henderson. And Whitredge says that Jake Botcher is talking reform.” “I guess Botcher and Bascom know their business,” said Mr. Vane. If Mr. Flint had been a less concentrated man, he might have observed that the Honourable Hilary had not cut a piece of Honey Dew this afternoon. “What is their business?” asked Mr. Flint--a little irrelevantly for him. “What you and I taught 'em,” said Mr. Vane. Mr. Flint considered this a moment, and decided to let it pass. He looked at the Honourable Hilary more closely, however. “What's the matter with you, Vane? You're not sick, are you?” “No.” Mr. Flint took another turn. “Now the question is, what are we going to do? If you've got any plan, I want to hear it.” Mr. Vane was silent. “Suppose Crewe goes into the convention with enough delegates to lock it up, so that none of the three has a majority?” “I guess he'll do that,” said Mr. Vane. He fumbled in his pocket, and drew out a typewritten list. It must be explained that the caucuses, or primaries, had been held in the various towns of the State at odd dates, and that the delegates pledged for the different candidates had been published in the newspapers from time to time--although very much in accordance with the desires of their individual newspapers. Mr. Crewe's delegates necessarily had been announced by what is known as political advertising. Mr. Flint took the Honourable Hilary's list, ran his eye over it, and whistled. “You mean he claims three hundred and fifty out of the thousand.” “No,” said Hilary, “he claims six hundred. He'll have three hundred and fifty.” In spite of the 'Book of Arguments,' Mr. Crewe was to have three hundred! It was incredible, preposterous. Mr. Flint looked at his counsel once more, and wondered whether he could be mentally failing. “Fairplay only gives him two hundred.” “Fairplay only gave him ten, in the beginning,” said Hilary.