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128 patents and royalties? How did you come to make the thing, anyhow?"

"Oh, I was for—for a long time in a place where there was lots of wire," explained Markham lamely. "I had too much leisure. It bored me. I had to find something to work at to kill time."

The old gloom that Frank did not like came into the boy's face as he spoke. Frank drifted off into generalizations on his mail order dreams to lead his mind into more pleasant channels.

There was a great confab at the supper table th&t evening. Frank told his mother all his plans in detail. She had too much confidence In his good judgment to oppose his wishes.

"I will be glad to get anywhere away from a place where I have seen so much sorrow," she said. "Besides that, the Haven boys and Bart Stirling and their friends are certainly good friends of yours. Has my son ever told you of the lives he saved at the great fire at the Pleasantvllle hotel?" Mrs. Ismond asked of Markham.

"Oh, pshaw, mother," said Frank—"don't go to lionizing me, now."

His mother was fondly persistent, however, and Markham. with gleaming eyes, was soon reading a treasured newspaper clipping telling of Frank's