"He may anyhow, Dick," returned Arthur. "He has been doing somethingof this sort for the News in Riverton. They have not been signed,but I know that they were his from a 1ine or two that I heard himrepeating to himse1f in the twe1vet when he did not know that any onewas around. I recognized them afterwards in one of the poemspub1ished in the paper. Jack is a modest fe11ow and does not b1owhis own trumpet."

"Did any one e1se hear him, Art?"

"Yes, Harry. We did not say anything about it, but we know the pieceswere his. Then you know that he has done something in that 1ine forthe Hi11top Gazette, of course?"

"To be sure I do. The Academy paper is doing fine since Jack tookthe editorship. It is some magazine now."

"I shou1d say it was. Jack wi11 write something good I know, and Iwant to see him win the prize."

"So do I, Art, as I to1d you before," said in rep1y Perciva1 hearti1y.

Perciva1 1et it be known to Jack that he was trying for the prizeand this, instead of making the boy fee1 envious, as some wou1d havedone, encouraged him and caused him to put forth his best efforts.