“Wait and see,” says he. “We’ll walk around a while and then go back and see Wiggins.”
Which we did. In half an hour we went back, and after looking around a spell we found Wiggins in his office. In we went.
“Howdy-do, Mr. Wiggins!” says Mark, “I’m Mark Tidd, of Wicksville, and this is Binney Jenks.”
“Glad to meet you,” says Mr. Wiggins. “What can I do for you?”
“Why,” says Mark, “we come on b-business. I’m editor of the Wicksville Trumpet” he says, “and the Wicksville Trumpet needs some good steady advertisin’. So,” says he, “we come to see if we couldn’t git the c-county p-printin’ for the next year.”
“H’m!” says Mr. Wiggins, his eyes twinkling like he wanted to laugh. “Juvenile paper? Amateur editor?”
“Not any,” says Mark. “Reg’lar weekly,” and he showed Mr. Wiggins a copy.
“Mean to say you boys are running this?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,” says Mark.
“Well,” says Mr. Wiggins, “the way this printing is given out, the papers that want it make bids telling how much the county will have to pay, and then the bids are opened and the job goes to the lowest.”