"Before we bestow any more bouquets," said Macnooder sarcastically, "let's examine the situation. Let's see the worst. The Feds have the jump on us. They've raised the cry of 'Apron-strings' on us, and it's going to be a mighty hard one to meet."
"We'll never answer it," said the gloomy Egghead; "we're beaten now. It's a rotten issue and a rotten game."
At this moment the Gutter Pup rushed in like a white fuzzy dog, his eyes bulging with importance as he delivered the bombshell, that Crazy Opdyke had organised a Mugwump party and carried the Cleve House for it.
"No."
"A Mugwump party!"
"What the deuce is he up to?"
"Order," said Hickey, stilling the tumult with a shoe vigorously applied to a wash-basin. "This meeting is not a bunch of undertakers. We are here to save the party."
"Hickey's right," said Turkey; "let's get down to business."
"First," said Hickey, "let's have reports. What has Treasurer Macnooder to report?"