"Well, enlist them in your cause. Good-bye, and good luck to you," were the final words of the Cabinet officer.
John Carlton left with a smiling face, but down in his heart he had grave misgivings. As he entered the hall of the House he met Barry Wynn.
"Well, my boy," he said with outward cheerfulness that never deserted him, "what's new?"
"A great deal," replied the young page. "The members have been handing in petitions this morning in favor of placing the Naval Repair Station at Green Island."
"Many of them?"
"Hundreds and hundreds of them. Why it looked like a snow storm of white papers. They came from all parts of the House."
"Did you say they were all on the same kind of paper?"
"No, I didn't," retorted Barry; "but now that you speak of it, they were all on one kind of paper."
Mr. Carlton nodded his head knowingly.
"It's just as I thought. This is not a natural outburst from the people. It's a scheme—a set-up job."