at first all enthusiasm and upon the--the parchment scroll where
such matters are inscribed was written the name of the beautiful and
enterprising community, and the sum of money it asked for. And the deal
was as good as made. Excuse the modern phraseology; my fairy lingo got
mixed there."

"Never mind. I can get the drift just as well--maybe better."

"And the deal was as good as made. But before the vote was taken another
chap came to the great man and said: 'Look here! I want to get an
appropriation of, say, fifty thousand dollars, to deepen and improve a
river down in my State'--a Southern State we'll say. 'I've been to the
chairman of the pork bill committee, and he says it's impossible. The
bill simply can't be loaded any further. But I find that you have an
item in there for deepening and improving a harbor back in your own
district. Why don't you cut that item out--shove it over until
next year? You can easily find a satisfactory explanation for your
constituents. AND you want to remember this: the improvement of this
river means that the--the--well, a certain sugar-growing company--can
get their stuff to market at a figure which will send its stock up and
up. And you are said to own a considerable amount of that stock. So why
not drop the harbor item and substitute my river slice? Then--' Well, I
guess that's the end of the tale."

He paused and relit his cigar. Captain Cy thoughtfully marked with his
fork on the tablecloth.

"Hum!" he grunted. "That's a very interestin' yarn. Yes, yes! don't
know's I ever heard a more interestin' one. I presume likely there ain't
a mite of proof that it's true?"