CHAPTER XBEGINNING TO SPELL SUCCESS
Another nest of Blue Birds had been formed under Mrs. Catlin’s supervision, and these little girls were chosen to act as agents to secure subscriptions for the forthcoming magazine. They were also permitted to donate short stories or pictures to the magazine and, being so young a branch of the first Nest, felt this was a special privilege.
Aunt Selina had written her interesting Civil War story and had it ready for Uncle Ben, but Mrs. Catlin was still busy trying to arrange her chapters so they would make a good serial.
The Blue Birds had written their pages over and over, and finally Mrs. Talmage said they would lose all sense in the telling if they kept on rewriting. So the pages were taken as they were and corrected by Uncle Ben.
As the various short articles came in to the Publishing House, Mrs. Talmage took chargeof them. Many a pleased surprise she had as she read the different articles submitted by the boys, and the suggestions and hints sent in by the girls.
The Bobolinks spent every afternoon at their Publishing House, setting type, trying to run machines, and find out various things about business. The two young men promised by Uncle Ben were not expected until actual work on the magazine began.
So much talk had been heard at various dinner-tables in Oakdale, that fathers manifested enough curiosity in the work to ask for an invitation to the Publishing House. The habit of “dropping in to watch the boys” grew to be regular meetings, and the men enjoyed the social evenings as much as the boys did. Naturally, the work did not lose any of its value by the suggestions and ideas given by the older, experienced business men, but the Blue Birds grew envious over the evident interest shown in the Bobolinks while they were never about.
One afternoon the Blue Birds gathered about Mrs. Talmage with a complaint.
“Mother Wings, those Bobolinks will be ’wayahead of us in this fun, unless you get the mothers to meet once in a while to suggest things for us to do,” said Ruth, dolefully.
“And from something I heard Don tell Mete, those fathers have promised to help the Bobolinks do thework, too!” broke in Dot Starr.
“Since Ned has moved his printing stuff to the carriage house his den is vacant—we might use that for our Winter Nest, until we find something better,” suggested Mrs. Starr, after thinking seriously of what had just been said.
“That will be all right, but it won’t boost our work like the boys are being boosted,” fretted Norma.
“I shall have to think of it,” replied Mrs. Talmage, deeply concerned over the discontent of the Blue Birds; but Aunt Selina, who had been a silent listener of the complaint, spoke.
“Are those Bobolinks and the men actually helping the success of the magazine?”
“No, not that we can see; they just use paper and fool away every evening running those machines,” snapped Dot, who generally heard all the doings from her brothers.
“Then they are not getting ahead so fast withsuccess as you seem to think,” replied Aunt Selina, calmly. “The principal things in making a magazine pay are its circulation and the advertising contracts. If these are not being thought of and tried, the Bobolinks are wasting their precious time.”
“But they are so well acquainted with the machines that they say they can print anything!” said Dot.
“All right, suppose we take them at their word and ask them to give us proof of some circulars,” laughed Mrs. Talmage.
“I suppose they would, but where would we use them?” asked Norma.
“This is what I would suggest—we’ll play the game of the ‘Tortoise and the Hare,’ and they’ll be left asleep at their work while we win the race,” declared Aunt Selina.
The Blue Birds gathered closer to Aunt Selina’s chair, and she continued her instruction.
“We’ll have Mother Wings write a letter and ask Mr. Wells to bring down that Institution Book he promised us, as we wish to use it at once. Then we’ll count up the number of institutions where we could send a magazine and circular.Some of these will subscribe most likely, while the circular letter will reach the hands of some of the wealthy patrons of the Homes. We’ll compose a letter and order those Bobolinks to print ten thousand for us. I guess that will keep them busy for a time and at the same time make them wonder whatweare doing without their knowledge or consent.”
“Shall we mail the letters when they are printed?” asked Betty.
“No, I thought we could address large-sized envelopes with the names of the institutions and as soon as the magazines are printed we can place a letter and a magazine in each envelope. Of course, we inclose a subscription blank, too; this work of folding and sealing the letters and magazines is where we will invite the mothers to help. After that we can send out some samples to other folks, but we will make the Bobolinks wonder why the mothers are here so often.”
The Blue Birds laughed and thought the plan very good, and Dot Starr added, “We’re surely glad you’re here, Aunt Selina.”
“And we will keep all of our papers and workin the den and no one will see what is being done,” added Mrs. Talmage.
“You must keep the key, Mother Wings,” advised Ruth.
The letter for Mr. Wells was written without delay, for Norma was to hand it to her father that evening. After this was finished the important work of composing a letter for folks who would receive the magazine was started.
This letter provoked many suggestions and criticisms, but finally was concluded and read aloud to the children, who declared it just right.
“But we haven’t a bit of paper for the printing,” exclaimed Ruth.
“Maybe Aunt Selina and I can go to the paper mills in the morning and see if they have any small lot that will do,” suggested Mrs. Talmage.
This offer cheered the Blue Birds again, as a few hours’ delay would not matter very much.
“Now, that’s done, what next?” asked Dot.
“Next thing is to say ‘good-afternoon’ and go home,” laughed Mrs. Talmage, looking at her watch.
“Oh, dear, mother, it cannot be dinner-time,” said Ruth.
“It is almost six o’clock, and I have some matters to look after, dear,” returned her mother.
“Well, we can invite our mothers to join us, anyway, can’t we, Mrs. Talmage?” said May.
“Yes, but I wouldn’t mention the fact that we feel that we must have them to enable us to get ahead of the Bobolinks, for your fathers will hear of it and plan some way to win out in spite of us,” advised the astute Aunt Selina.
“We won’t! We’ll just say that as long as the boys have their fathers with them, we girls are going to invite our mothers,” explained Norma, while the others nodded approval.
“May we come to-night?” asked Betty.
“How about school lessons?” asked Mrs. Talmage.
“And I want to revise several parts of my story to-night, besides the paper mills have not yet been visited, you know,” objected Aunt Selina.
“Girls, we’d better wait until to-morrow; that’s Friday and we won’t have to go to bed so early as other evenings,” suggested Ruth.
“All right, we’ll meet in the den to-morrow afternoon and report how many mothers will be here,” consented Dot.
“And I’ll have Mrs. Catlin here in the evening,” added Mrs. Talmage.
“Mother Wings, if we use that old room of Ned’s, why couldn’t we call it our Winter Nest? We can move in our cherry-tree Nest furniture when it grows colder and make the room look real comfy,” said Ruth.
The other Blue Birds approved of the suggestion and Mrs. Talmage said she had no objection to having the Winter Nest in the den, so it was decided then and there.
Ruth accompanied her friends to the steps and as they stood vainly wishing there were several extra hours to add to an afternoon, Dot saw Don jump out of the wide-open door of the Publishing House and laugh derisively at someone inside.
“Now I wonder what that boy is up to?” she said.
“Oh, say, wouldn’t it be fun to creep in back of the carriage house and peep in at the windows to watch the boys!” suggested Edith.
“I know a better way,” answered Ruth. “We will ask Ike to let us go up in the loft from thesmall room and we can look down through the wide chinks of the floor.”
“Oh, do let’s!” cried the Blue Birds, as they hurried back of the house to steal noiselessly over to the garage.
Ike understood the rivalry growing between them, and decided to be perfectly impartial, so he unlocked the door of the small room where the stairs led to a loft over the Publishing House.
The Bobolinks were making such a noise that they never heard the creaking of the floor overhead, or the giggles of the girls as they glued their eyes to the crevices between the boards.
“Now it’s Tuck’s turn to be an advertising solicitor!” called Don, who evidently had been discharged from some make-believe service when he was so unexpectedly put out of the door.
“Ah, I’d never make a solicitor of any kind,” grumbled Tuck Stevens.
“But you’ve got to play the game as we all promised,” coaxed some of the boys.
“I’ll be the man you want to see,” persuaded Jinks.
“Come on, Tuck. We’ll have to go home pretty soon, so get busy,” commanded Ned.
The girls began to understand that the Bobolinks were not playing, but practicing their duty for the future, so they silently looked at each other and nodded understandingly.
“Here goes, then,” ventured Tuck, bravely.
He strutted across the floor toward the office and met one of the boys stationed there.
“Good-morning, sir; do you wish to see anyone?” asked the impromptu clerk.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Slamhim,” quivered Tuck, as if the visit was an actual affair.
The boys tittered with glee as Tuck turned red and white.
“Your name, please?” asked the polite clerk.
“Reuben Stevens,” replied Tuck, in a whisper.
“Ha! the name’ll queer you, Tuck!” laughed Don, behind his chum’s back, but the older boys hushed Don.
The clerk rapped upon the office door and a voice said, “Come in.”
“Reuben Stevens to see you, sir. He has an appointment.”
“Show him in,” said the voice which Ruth recognized as a disguised bass of Ned’s.
Tuck walked to the office and then turned about and asked the other boys: “Now, what shall I say—I’ve forgotten.”
Immediately there was a loud chorus of laughter, and a scuffle and Tuck was ousted in the same manner that Don had been.
“Didn’t I say that name would spoil you?” teased Don.
“Next!” called one of the boys who had a list of names which he marked down “good, indifferent, bad.”
The boy whose turn came next carried off the rehearsal as if he had been a solicitor all of his short life. The other boys cheered his efforts and even the Blue Birds were tempted to clap their hands.
“Well, Bobolinks, I think this will do for to-day; we have drilled three of the boys after the manner shown us last night, but Don and Tuck seem to be hopeless cases,” said Ned.
“I’ll practice it at home on Dot, and show you what I can do to-morrow,” eagerly promised Don.
Dot looked up at her friends when she heard this and shook her head energetically.
The Bobolinks carefully covered the machineswith the canvas covers and started to go out. At the same time the girls in the loft crept across the floor toward the steps. The boys were not making so much noise as when the Blue Birds went up in the loft, and Meredith stood surprised when he heard something moving over his head.
“Where’s Ike?” he whispered to Ned.
“Just outside the door—why?” replied Ned.
“Don’t you hear those footsteps?”
“What—where? Yes, of course!” exclaimed Ned.
Simon was seen crossing the lawn and Ike stood outside with the boys, so who could be upstairs?
Meantime, Ruth overheard Meredith’s exclamation and hurried the girls down and out, and pushed them inside the garage before any of the boys could persuade Ike that someone was upstairs. Finally he allowed them to drag him to the small carriage room and ascend the steps.
The Blue Birds lay hidden in the bottom of the automobile and almost suffocated trying to keep from laughing outright at the way the Bobolinks were hoodwinked.
Every one of the boys trudged up the steps, but found the loft empty. As soon as they wereout of sight in the small room, the girls jumped out of the car and ran madly for the shrubbery which sheltered the kitchen gardens from the lawns. Here, they could creep toward home without being seen from the barns.
Ike looked carefully about the loft but hid a smile when his back was turned.
“There, I told you no one was here!” he said.
“Well, I don’t care, Iheardthem!” retorted Ned.
“Maybe it was rats!” ventured Ike.
“No, sir, you said that you were never pestered with rats; besides, this noise was just like walking would sound,” insisted Ned.
Ike kept the boys upstairs arguing for a sufficient time to permit the Blue Birds to get out of the way, then he started down.
“Well, I’ll keep the door locked and the key in my room,” promised Ike, as the boys waited for him to lock up.
“If it was a tramp, Ned, he couldn’t move our machinery, so what’s the use bothering?” said Don.
“He could steal our type and other things, and sell them,” grumbled Ned, still unassured.
Ruth was walking slowly up from the main gates when Ned reached the veranda. She was stooping over a chrysanthemum blossom to note its beautiful coloring when Ned whistled to attract her attention.
“Better hurry in and wash up for dinner—it’s almost seven, and mother doesn’t like dinner delayed, you know,” Ned said, as Ruth skipped up smilingly.
Not a word was said, and the Bobolinks never found out how the Blue Birds watched them practice their future business tactics.
The next morning Mrs. Talmage and Aunt Selina had Ike drive them to the paper mills.
Mrs. Talmage explained her errand and selected some samples of stationery paper. The manager then showed them over the mills and Aunt Selina whispered aside to Mrs. Talmage: “What an interesting article this work would make.”
“Indeed, yes!” replied Mrs. Talmage, turning to the manager to tell him of the new venture of the Blue Birds and ask him to write up a story about the manufacture of paper.
“That I will! I like to write, and often, whenI’m tired or worried, I sit down to write a funny sketch. I have sold a number of them to Sunday papers,” was the surprising reply.
The two ladies were escorted to the manager’s office and chairs were placed for them while a price list was prepared for the convenience of the Blue Birds.
This done, the manager sat back in his office chair.
“Have the children planned any campaign for securing circulation?” he asked.
“Why, no, Mr. White, we intended talking that matter over with the mothers to-night. We are all so inexperienced in this undertaking that I suppose a business man would laugh at our way of putting ‘the cart before the horse,’ as the saying is,” laughed Mrs. Talmage.
“The fact is, this whole proposition is so sudden and different from anything the children had dreamed of!” added Aunt Selina, in defence of their mistakes.
“I know! When I heard of the daring of the children I certainly admired their spunk, but I couldn’t help shaking my head, too, for it is nojoke to start a real business, as they are doing,” said Mr. White, seriously.
“Well, we will need the help of all of our friends,” smiled Mrs. Talmage.
“You’ll have it, too. Why, everybody in Oakdale felt the Blue Birds’ work last summer was wonderful; now, this new venture will have the support of all of the townsfolks.”
“It is very encouraging to hear you speak so, and if you think of any way to boom our circulation, I wish you would come over some evening and tell us all about it,” replied Mrs. Talmage.
Suddenly the manager sat upright and looked toward the book-shelves, which contained rows of business-like looking reference books.
“I believe we have the idea!” exclaimed he, jumping up and going over to the shelves to take down a heavy volume.
“This book contains all the names and addresses of stationery stores in the United States and Canada. It is only a year old, so most of these addresses will be up-to-date. We use it for mailing samples of our paper, but I have an idea that you would get plenty of subscriptions and make willing agents of these storekeepers. Ifyou send a sample of your magazine and give them a liberal commission there is no reason why these firms would refuse to act as agents. Anyway, it would do no harm to try out the suggestion,” said Mr. White.
“Why, Mr. White, do you know that you are a direct answer to my prayer!” cried Aunt Selina.
“I am grateful to be favored,” laughed Mr. White, “but it must be your faith that brought the answer.”
“Well, to tell the truth,” continued Aunt Selina, “I am so very anxious to have this movement of the children a fine success that I have been praying in season and out for the way to open that we might be blessed in this work. All we needed for the next step was a hint for circulation.”
“And I’ll confide a secret, too,” said Mrs. Talmage, leaning over toward the desk. “The boys have had their fathers meet with them every evening, advising and drilling them in ways and means to succeed, while my girls have had to do the best they can with Aunt Selina and me. This book will boost us far ahead of the Bobolinks andgive the men who are advising a fine surprise.”
Mr. White laughed as he understood the rivalry between the two factions, and promised to send his wife to the meetings of the mothers to convey any advice or suggestions he might think of.
“Oh, splendid! We expect to hold our first meeting at our house to-night. Do bring her over!” cried Mrs. Talmage.
As the three were going out to the automobile, Mr. White ventured a remark.
“I have been told that the paper for the sample issue was to be sent over when you wished it. Now, I thought of making an advertising proposition to the corporation at their next meeting. If the magazine would mention that all the paper used by them for letters, circulars and magazines was furnished by the Oakdale Mills, it would be a good exchange if the company donated the paper needed for the first year’s work.”
The ladies stood amazed at the generous idea.
“Every paper mill in the country will try to place a contract with the children as soon as news of this plan is out. Now, the Oakdale Mills can secure its contract for future years by beingwide-awake for the present. It is a strictly business proposition, you see,” explained Mr. White.
“It may seem so to you, but I know that it is a proposition that no other firm would offer, and we are deeply grateful for your interest,” replied Mrs. Talmage, sagaciously.
“I’ll suggest it, and you find out if the magazine is willing to give us the mention I hinted at,” said Mr. White.
Handing the huge book of addresses to Ike, Mrs. Talmage shook hands with Mr. White and reminded him to bring his wife to the meeting.
“Well! that was the best hour’s business yet!” exclaimed Aunt Selina, as the car sped away.
“Wonderful, isn’t it? I hope everything will glide along as nicely as it has up to the present,” said Mrs. Talmage.
Being Friday, school closed an hour earlier than usual. The moment the Blue Birds could catch their hats from the pegs in the cloak-rooms, they ran out to join Ruth, who was hopping from one foot to the other in a vain effort to calm her impatience.
“Hurry, girls! Don’t you know Mother Wings went to the mills this morning for samples ofpaper?” called one to the other as they ran up to Ruth.
It was not long thereafter that seven eager little girls crowded about Mrs. Talmage on the veranda to hear the news.
“I’ll show you the samples, but we will wait for the mothers’ opinion to-night. But this great secret I will give to you now!” and, forthwith, Mrs. Talmage told the Blue Birds all about Mr. White’s interest and ideas, and showed them the precious volume loaned them.
CHAPTER XITHE WINTER NEST COUNCIL
Before eight o’clock that night the Blue Birds and their mothers were assembled in the living-room ready for a council. The children had not seen the den for a few days and stared in delight as they filed into the room. Mrs. Talmage had purposely had all meet together before mentioning that they might as well spend the evening in the Winter Nest.
“Why, Mother Wings, whendidyou fix this up?” asked Ruth, as much surprised as the others.
Mrs. Talmage smiled, but said nothing.
The guests looked about and admired the unique charm of the Blue Bird quarters for the winter, and Betty ventured the question: “What has become of our other chairs?”
The room had all been renovated. The windows were hung with snow-flake madras, and the floor covered with heavy knotted white rag carpet that looked like snow freshly packed. Thewalls had been repapered with a sparkling white paper which glistened like ice in the electric light. From the wainscoting to the picture rail branches of dark green spruce and pine were fastened and upon these green needles were caught flakes of make-believe snow—made of white cotton-batting with diamond dust powdered on it. The furniture of the summer Nest had been brought in late that afternoon and the slip covers, which had been made for it, were slipped over until the thick white covers hid the familiar chairs under the novelty cloth that looked like snow-drifts. The whole effect was so beautiful that the children danced about with joy.
“Well, we must get at our work,” reminded Aunt Selina, after enough chairs had been brought in for all.
“I walked over with Mr. Wells and he was quite surprised to find I was coming to the house,” said Mrs. Wells, laughingly.
“I never said a word to Mr. Talmage or his brother,” confided Mrs. Talmage, smiling at the secret.
“Mr. Stevens knows I am at this council withBetty, but he hasn’t the faintest idea for what,” admitted Mrs. Stevens.
And so it was that not one of the men who had formed the habit of dropping in to help the Bobolinks could imagine what their wives were doing with the Blue Birds.
If the inmates of the Winter Nest that night could have seen the questioning faces of the boys and men when it was known that a meeting of mothers was being held, they would have felt the balm of satisfaction applied to wounded pride.
Mrs. Talmage showed the sample of paper and, after a discussion of merit and price, a selection was made of an artistic grey paper to be printed in blue—the colors of the Blue Birds.
“We must have envelopes to match, mother,” said Ruth.
“I never thought of that, but it is so!” admitted Mrs. Talmage.
“I know the address of a firm where Mr. Wells has all of his ‘made-to-order’ envelopes made—we will get them to do it,” suggested Mrs. Wells.
“What a relief to hear that offer!” sighed Mrs. Talmage. “I was just wondering where I could find anyone who would make them for us.”
“It also goes to prove that many heads gathered to discuss Blue Bird affairs are better than one, and I suggest that we meet at least once a week,” suggested Aunt Selina.
So it was then and there agreed that the mothers would come regularly to hold a council in the Winter Nest with the Blue Birds.
“Just as soon as the envelopes come back we can begin to address from mother’s big book, can’t we?” asked Norma.
“If there’s only one book, how can all of this crowd read it at the same time and then write down the names?” demanded Dot Starr.
“Why, we won’t have to do that work,” added Mrs. Wells. “There’s a firm in the city that addresses envelopes for a dollar a thousand.”
“Another fine hint! I’m sure I’d rather pay my share than risk Dot’s ruining dozens of envelopes with ink,” laughed Mrs. Starr, patting Dot on the hand.
“We wouldn’t want to write ’em in here, because the snow would freeze our fingers so the ink would spatter all over,” said Dot, ludicrously.
“Yes, I suppose these lovely covers would be speckled black by the time the Blue Birds completed,say, fifty thousand addresses,” laughed Aunt Selina.
“I would vote against Edith’s writing—I fear the person would never get the letter—it would go straight to the Dead Letter Office,” said Mrs. Wilson, pulling Edith’s curls.
As everyone knew how Edith hated writing and never could write a legible hand, a laugh went up, in which Edith joined heartily.
So the Blue Birds were spared the arduous task of copying thousands of names.
“I have heard that these large addressing bureaus prefer to employ children—I wonder why?”
“Because children just finishing grammar school are more careful in forming letters and can write much better than adults. Besides, they have to pay children but a third that an adult would demand for his labor,” explained Mrs. Wells.
“Why, isn’t that just as bad as working children in a factory?” questioned Miss Selina.
“The rooms that I visited are just as bad. The girls are crowded close together in a wretchedly lighted room without ventilation, and they sit writing all day with their poor backs bent doubleand fingers grown crooked from habit,” said Mrs. Wells.
“Goodness! Can’t we do something to stop it?” cried Mrs. Starr.
“They have to have the money for home needs, and it isn’t quite as bad, you know, as working all day in cold water to your knees, opening oysters at a cent a hundred.”
“Oh, dear, dear! don’t tell me any more,” half wept Aunt Selina. “I feel like a criminal to think I lost all of these years with money piling up in the bank that could have helped hundreds of these little workers. Let’s get busy this minute!”
“It would be nice to take all these little workers to the country, wouldn’t it?” queried Mrs. Talmage.
“Yes, yes! But, Mary, don’t delay me longer in this work—I have so many years to make up, and so little time to do it in,” mourned Aunt Selina.
“All right! Now that is settled—we hire a firm to do the addressing, and Mrs. Wells will see to the envelopes. What next?” said Mrs. Talmage.
“Oh, Mother Wings, don’t forget about that book—you know?” reminded Ruth.
“Oh, of course! One of our great secrets! Here is a volume loaned us by Mr. White, of the Oakdale Paper Mills, and it has the addresses of all the stationers in the country,” explained Mrs. Talmage. “He suggested that we send a sample magazine to each, with a letter stating agents’ commissions and price of subscription.”
“And that reminds me—the book you wrote for was given me to bring in to-night, and I left it out in the hall,” said Mrs. Wells, turning to Frances and asking her to get it.
The institution book was brought in, and its pages eagerly scanned.
“My! what a lot of poor children there are!” said Dot sympathetically.
“It doesn’t seem possible, does it?” said Mrs. Starr, turning to the others.
“We never realize what needs there are for help until we face something of this sort,” said Mrs. Talmage, turning page after page. Suddenly she stopped.
“Has anyone here an idea of how many dependentlittle ones there are in the United States alone?”
Heads were silently shaken, and Mrs. Talmage continued:
“There are 87,000 children’s institutions—homes, hospitals, asylums, and homes for cripples that are mostly supported by gifts, philanthropy, or legacies. About one-fourth of these are partially controlled by the state. The number of inmates in these institutions amounts to 1,740,520 children. Think of it! Practically a million and three-quarters! How terrible!” And Mrs. Talmage had to find her handkerchief to dry her eyes at the picture of so many, many dear little ones bereft of home and mother-love.
“Mary, Mary, I shall have to run away from here if you keep on!” cried Aunt Selina.
“But, Aunty, it is not your fault, and you must not feel this way, especially as you are doing so much to improve the conditions,” said Mrs. Talmage.
“Well, mother, I should say that if there are 87,000 addresses to send letters to, we’d better begin that letter now, and not spoil Flutey’s pleasureby thinking of all the things she never did,” advised Ruth, very sensibly.
“Yes, that letter is very important—let us compose it,” said Aunt Selina.
After an hour of writing and rewriting, Mrs. Talmage read aloud the result of their labor:
“Dear Friend:
“The Blue Birds of Oakdale have started a philanthropic work which must appeal to everyone who is willing to help our poor children. A magazine is being published, a sample of which is being sent you, that will contain instructive, helpful, interesting articles.
“Perhaps you know that there are 87,000 benevolent institutions in this country filled with over a million and a half poor children, to whom this magazine will prove a welcome visitor. The cost of producing this magazine is partially paid for by donations, and the profit of the work is all devoted to a settlement in the country where the city children can spend the summer.
“Inclosed find a subscription blank. Make all checks payable to ‘Blue Birds of Happy Times Nest.’”
“Wish we had time to run over to the Bobolinksand order fifty thousand of these letters,” suggested Dot.
“Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to see their faces!” laughed Norma.
“Maybe we will have time—it is only five minutes to nine,” announced Mrs. Talmage, looking at her watch.
“We can try it—we will walk down the path, and if we find they are leaving we can keep our own council until another night,” said Mrs. Talmage, as everyone rose hurriedly to go.
The children hurried on before, while the ladies followed more sedately.
The heavy doors were closed, but an opening about a foot wide left space enough for Ruth to squeeze through and pull one of the sliding doors along the groove to admit the other visitors.
The men had been lounging about, talking and watching their sons work, but upon the entrance of the ladies everyone arose in surprise.
“Rather a late hour for a call, dear,” ventured Mr. Stevens.
“Oh, not at all. We were attending a business meeting, and found it necessary to leave an order with the Bobolinks.”
“An order—what kind of an order?” questioned Ned dubiously.
Mrs. Talmage handed over the copy of the letter she wanted printed, and directed the company to get out a proof as soon as possible, for they would need about fifty thousand.
“Fifty thousand!” gasped the boys, while the men looked incredulous.
The Blue Birds could not restrain a giggle at the utter amazement of the Bobolinks, and the ladies thoroughly enjoyed their husbands’ surprise.
“Oh, well, I suppose it will take you a long time to run off so many, so you may do ten thousand at a time,” said Mrs. Talmage.
The Bobolinks could find no words with which to reply, and the men seemed to have lost their tongues also. While Mrs. Talmage waited for an answer, Don scowled at his twin sister.
“I am still waiting to hear you accept the order,” smiled Mrs. Talmage, feeling that the Blue Birds had scored a point.
“Maybe you are not yet ready to do business,” suggested Mrs. Wells, with just a touch of sarcasm.
“Of course we are ready!” exclaimed several boys, faintly echoed by the men.
“Then tell us how long will it be before you can show us a proof?” asked Mrs. Talmage.
“H’m! We will have to consult,” replied Ned, as he beckoned some of the Bobolinks to the rear of the room.
The Blue Birds were so delighted at catching the Bobolinks napping that they danced up and down, finding it very difficult to keep their secret.
Don was the first to come over to the ladies.
“Say, what do you want that letter for? Where will you ever get paper enough to print ten thousand—we can’t buy it for you,” he growled.
“Don, come back here and mind your business!” shouted Meredith.
“When you return to the boys, please ask them to hurry, as we have another letter to ask them about—we may need 100,000 of these,” said Mrs. Starr sweetly.
The Blue Birds noticed that their fathers looked sceptical at the last sentence.
“You never made up a list like that!” grunted Don, looking at the Blue Birds with fire shining in his eyes.
“What do you think we were doing while you spent your evenings having a good time?” retorted Dot.
“Humph!” was the only reply Don granted his sister.
“Folks said this summer that we Blue Birds were little hustlers, but I never paid much attention to them then; butnowI think we are hustlers when I see the way you Bobolinks poke away for two weeks and nothing to show for it,” teased May.
Mr. Wells was called over to join the conference of the Bobolinks before an answer was given the Blue Birds.
“We will set this type and run off a proof by to-morrow evening; will that do?” said Ned, coming forward with the letter.
The Blue Birds thought it would take the boys about three days to set type and give a proof, so it was their turn to be surprised. Mrs. Talmage seemed to understand, however, and replied in a very condescending voice:
“Oh, yes, to-morrow will be Saturday, and Uncle Ben will be here at noon. That will be fine, for, of course, he will show you what to do; andI am sure he knows just what he would like for the purpose.”
The looks exchanged between the Bobolinks and Mr. Wells were sufficient proof that Mrs. Talmage was right in her surmise, but the Blue Birds were too polite to say anything more.
The men said it was long past closing hours, so the lights were extinguished, and the whole party went out into the cool night air.
Early Saturday morning the Blue Birds met again in their pretty Winter Nest, and Mrs. Talmage told them what she had thought over since the night before.
“Since Uncle Ben will be here all afternoon to supervise the work, I think it would be as well for us to form the letter for the philanthropists, too; then he can help the Bobolinks set the type.”
The Blue Birds agreed that this was a wise plan, and so the letter was discussed and composed. This done, they went to the Publishing House with the copy, and told the boys what they wanted. The Bobolinks were hunting for the right style of type and fussing about the machines so as to have them in readiness for the afternoon.
Uncle Ben arrived at noon, and the boys placedtheir work under his supervision. From the expression on his face when he read the letters, it appeared that he understood the plans the Blue Birds were keeping so quiet.
“What are you smiling at, Uncle Ben?” asked Ned, keen to find out what the Blue Birds were planning.
“At the remarkable progress the Blue Birds have made since I last visited you,” returned Uncle Ben.
“Why, they haven’t done anything—much,” grumbled Don.
“Only fixed up these two letters for us to print,” added Meredith.
“They haven’t done their usual sewing and playing in the cherry-tree nest, either,” said Jinks.
“Is that so? Well, how do you knowwhatthey have been doing without your knowledge?” asked Uncle Ben laughingly.
The boys looked at him, and their eyes asked the question, “What?”
“As an old magazine man, I can see signs in these two letters that tell me of two tremendous pieces of work being started—and being very nicely handled, too. Why, I would not be surprisedto have the Blue Birds fly down upon this Publishing House some day and settle here long enough to say that they had a paid-up subscription list of ten thousand! At any rate, you boys had better prepare to print about fifty thousand sample copies of the first magazine.”
The faces of the Bobolinks looked as if their owners must sit down or collapse. Uncle Ben laughed heartily at them.
“Ah, you’re only fooling us, as usual,” ventured Ned.
“No, siree! I am not. Wait and see,” returned Uncle Ben.
Without further discussion, Uncle Ben showed the boys the proper style of type to use for a letter, then helped them run off a proof of both letters.
“This will show the Blue Birds that we are not so slow but that we can turn out samples in up-to-date style,” said Ned, as he admired the printing.
“Now, run off a few letters on this paper,” ordered Uncle Ben, producing some beautiful bond paper.
“My, but it’s pretty! Where’d you get it, Uncle Ben?” asked Ned.
“I brought it out for the Blue Birds’ inspection, but I shouldn’t doubt but that they have already attended to that detail, so we will present our proof all finished on my paper.”
“Now, tell us, Uncle Ben, why you think the Blue Birds have a big plan of their own,” entreated Ned.
Uncle Ben smiled and reminded the boys to keep his words from becoming public property.
“I should say that the fact that the Blue Birds have not been near their old Nest all week, when the weather is so glorious, proves that they have a deeper interest elsewhere. Now, what can that be? Here you have a hint of part of the interest,” and Uncle Ben waved the letters at the boys. “How do I know?
“Take these two letters—either one of them would startle a slow circulation manager in the city if he thought a competitor suddenly produced it! Why, in some way the Blue Birds have found a way to reach book stores, stationers, and similar business places. Then, too, the mention of needing thousands shows me they have found a mine of addresses that is worth a large price to a publisher.”
“Ah, Uncle Ben, you’re wrong there! The Blue Birds haven’t gone anywhere, and no one has been here to tell them how to get such names,” said Ned.
Without replying to Ned’s words, Uncle Ben continued:
“Then, too, they must have the institution work well under consideration or they would not have ordered the form letter—and hinted at the size of the order.”
The boys shook their heads, unwilling to admit that Uncle Ben’s surmises sounded practical.
“Lastly, they have their paper selected, because they told you the size this sheet of printing is to be; and therefore they must know how deep a margin they will need. To get the size of their printing correct, they would have to know how many sheets will cut out of a large sheet of paper, and order it cut accordingly.”
“If they have done all those things that you say they have, they are ’way ahead of us Bobolinks,” grumbled Don.
Uncle Ben laughed and advised:
“Boys, workwiththese Blue Birds, not against them or ahead of them. Do not think that justbecause they are girls, and you are boys, that they are going to remain in the shade and let you boys come out and shine in the light. If you boys ever do business in the city, you will find that a woman will contest your right at every step, for to-day’s women are equal in every way to the men—I rather think a number of them are superior to the men. These Blue Birds are but a proof of what I say. They will not permit the Bobolinks to walk off with the honors that are due them.” And Uncle Ben chuckled at the idea.
“Well, Uncle Ben, you’ll help us in every way until we are even with the girls, won’t you?” asked Ned.
“And you won’t help the Blue Birds any more, will you?” asked Don.
“I am absolutely neutral,” replied Uncle Ben, holding both hands up over his head. “I won’t take sides, but I will help the work along in every way, for I want it to succeed. I’ll help you when you need it, and I’ll help these little Blue Birds. But do as I said: Work together, not in a spirit of rivalry, for that will only sow seeds of strife and discontent.”
“Come on, boys, let’s take Uncle Ben to thehouse and show our letter proofs to the Blue Birds,” said Ned.
So the Bobolinks were taught their lesson in trying to win a race by running for a time and then resting.