Peter looked at him. “Blunkers,” he said warmly, “no man is too good not to tell the truth to any one whom he thinks it will help.”
“Shake,” said Blunkers. Then he turned to the men at the tables. “Step up, boys,” he called. “I sets it up dis time to drink der health of der feller dat don’t drink.”
The boys drank
CHAPTER XXI.
A POLITICAL DINNER.
Peter had only a month for work after reaching his own conclusions, before the meeting of the convention, but in that month he worked hard. As the result, a rumor, carrying dismay to the party leaders, became current.
“What’s this I hear?” said Gallagher’s former interviewer to that gentleman. “They say Schlurger says he intends to vote for Porter, and Kennedy’s getting cold?”
“If you’ll go through the sixth you’ll hear more than that.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was a torchlight last night, of nearly every voter in the ward, and nothing but Stirling prevented them from making the three delegates pledge themselves to vote for Porter. He said they must go unbound.”