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 lights. Dolf Muller had pried and poked into every corner; Tom. Woods merely sat on the counter and let his eyes rove. His face was inscrutable.

"Rather cozy," he said, and made no other comment. Bert was disappointed and nettled. With clouded face he saw Tom Woods swing down from the counter. He followed him out to the car. The man started the engine and let it idle.

"Bert."

"Yes, sir."

"Will you make me a promise?"

The boy stared at him.

"If anything queer turns up in your business will you promise me to go to your father?"

"Yes, sir."

The man held out his hand. "Shake on it. Good luck."

Those last two words took the sting out of the whole day.

Monday the great adventure started. Instead of struggling alone, Bert found a co-worker at his elbow: and the companionship was warm and stimulating. He had thought that, early in the morning, they would begin the siege of the town in search of members for the Service. But Sam had not read his book of business success for nothing.

"The first thing," he said, "is to lay out a strong, sure-fire selling talk. We can't go out and