A boy handed General Belch a note:
“MY DEAR BELCH,—B. Newt, Son, & Co. have stopped. We do not hear of an assignment, so desire you to take steps at once to secure judgment upon the inclosed account.
“Yours, PERIWING & BUDDBY.”
“Hallo!” said General Belch, as the messenger retired, “old Newt’s smashed! However, it’s a great while since he has done any thing for the party.—By Jove!”
The last exclamation was sudden, as if he had been struck by a happy thought. He took a fresh quid in his mouth, and, putting his hands upon his knees, sat silently for five minutes, and then said,
“I have the man!”
“You have the man?” said Ele, looking at him with interest.
“Certainly. Look here!”
Mr. Ele did look, as earnestly as if he expected the General to take the man out of his pocket.
“You know we want to get the grant, at any rate. If we only have men who see from our point of view, we are sure of it. I think I know a man who can be persuaded to look at the matter from that point—a man who may be of very great service to the party, if we can persuade him to see from our point of view.”