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His father had left the table. From the hall, as he put on overcoat and hat, he called a question.

"What do you think of the story?"

"Good! I'm glad he didn't try to poke fun at us."

"Why were you selected as spokesman for the delegation?"

"I don't know; I guess because I was the first one to think of going to the City Hall."

The man drew a breath of relief. He had had a fear that his name in the paper might go to his son's head. For a moment he appeared in the dining room doorway.

"I'd watch myself on speech making, son. It's easy to overdo it. You had a real case yesterday; that's all right. But don't get the habit. I know men who cannot be happy in a gathering unless they have the floor. They become pests. Always wait until you have something to say—then say it."

The boy was glad, for some reason, that his father said nothing about what might be the result of the mission.

When he reached the school, it seemed that almost every student had brought a newspaper. Morning Heralds were everywhere. Some of them had been posted on the bulletin boards. The