But like all ceremonials, the matter had to be prolonged and
surrounded with the frills of officialdom. Sunny called it organization,
and herein only copied people of greater degree and self-importance.
He plunged into his task with whole-hearted enthusiasm, and, with
every word he uttered, preened himself in the belief that he was
rapidly ascending in the opinion of Wild Bill, the only man on
Suffering Creek for whose opinion he cared a jot.
He explained to his comrades, with all the vanity of a man whose
inspiration has met with public approval, that in forming such a
combine as theirs, it would be necessary to allot certain work, which
he called "departments," to certain individuals. He assured his
fellow-members that such was always done in "way-up concerns." It
saved confusion, and ensured the work being adequately performed.
"Sort o' like a noo elected gover'ment," suggested Sandy sapiently.
"Wal, I won't say that," said Sunny. "Them fellers traipse around wi'
portyfolios hangin' to 'em. I don't guess we need them things. It's
too hot doin' stunts like that."
"Portfolios?" questioned Toby artlessly. "Wot's them for?"
"Oh, jest nuthin' o' consequence. Guess it's to make folks guess
they're doin' a heap o' work. No, what we need is to set each man his
work this aways. Now Bill here needs to be president sure. Y'see, we
must hev a 'pres.' Most everything needs a 'pres.' He's got to sit on
top, so if any one o' the members gits gay he ken hand 'em a daisy
wot'll send 'em squealin' an' huntin' their holes like gophers. Wal,
Bill needs to be our 'pres.' Then there's the 'general manager.' He's
the feller wot sets around an' blames most everybody fer everything
anyway, an' writes to the noospapers. He's got to have savvee, an' an
elegant way o' shiftin' the responsibility o' things on them as can't
git back at him. He's got to be a bright lad--"
"That's Sunny, sure," exclaimed Toby. "He's a dandy at gettin' out o'
things an' leaving others in. Say--"
"Here, half-a-tick," cried Joyce, with sudden inspiration. "Who's
goin' to be 'fightin' editor'?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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