Thus they parted--the happiest pair of boys in all Burmingham. CHAPTER XVIII GRADUATION Thus did Paul's troubles dissolve in air and with the June winds blow far away. In the meantime graduation came and the essay he delivered was clicked off on Mr. Carter's typewriter which, considering the fact that it was a second-hand one, was an amazingly fresh and unscarred machine. Nor was this all. After the graduation exercises had come to a close, and the audience was passing out of the building, Mr. Cameron and the publisher of the _Echo_ came face to face in the corridor. They had not met since the famous mayoral campaign when Carter, by means of wholesale bribery, had swept all before him. Hence the present encounter was an awkward one and many a citizen of Burmingham stopped to witness the drama. Had the two men been able to avoid the clash they would undoubtedly have done so; but the hallway was narrow and escape was impossible. Here they were wedged in the crowd, each of them having come hither to see his son take his diploma. It was a day of rejoicing and no time for grudges. Melville was at his father's elbow while at Mr. Cameron's heels tagged Paul, hot, tired, but victorious. The instant the group collided the magnate's hand shot out and gripped that of the editor-in-chief of the _March Hare_. "Well, youngster, I'm proud of you!" he exclaimed. "You did well. We shall be making a newspaper man of you yet." Then, glancing up into the face of the lad's father, he added with hesitating graciousness: "I--I--congratulate you on your son, Cameron." Mr. Cameron was not to be outdone. "And I on yours, Mr. Carter. Melville is a fine boy. You must be glad that he has done so well." "Oh, Melville's not perfect," declared Mr. Carter, obviously pleased, "but he is all the boy we've got and we like him." There was a pause. "Our young representatives have done pretty well on this paper of theirs, haven't they?" remarked Mr. Carter the next moment. "They certainly have," agreed Mr. Cameron. "The _March Hare_ is a very readable and creditable little magazine. You've done both the school and the community a service, Carter, by printing it." "I've made some blunders in my life, Cameron, for which I have since been very sorry," the rich man said, looking significantly into Mr. Cameron's eyes. "But printing the _March Hare_ was not one of them, thank God! We consider the school paper well worth printing," he added in a lighter tone. "Everything the _Echo_ prints is worth while, you know." Mr. Cameron laughed at the jest. "I've been dragged into reading your august publication, you know," said he. "I subscribed to it against my will, I must own; however, I must confess that I have enjoyed it very much. If you'd change your party, Carter, and come into the proper political fold--" Mr. Carter held up his hand.