“Yes,” said Marty, “I can see that.  But why did you never say anything to me about it when there wasn’t any meeting coming?  Haven’t we always shared everything else, since away back?  This is the one subject that you and I have kept away from in our talk of all we’ve ever thought about, and I was wondering why.”

“Well, I don’t exactly know,” J.W. replied.  “It may have been that it never seemed to be any of my business; that it was the preacher’s business, or the Sunday school teacher’s, or somebody’s.  And you know I’ve always been surer of what you really are than I have of myself.  I think I was always afraid you would either make fun of me or believe I was letting on to be better than you were.  But when the League got into this Win-My-Chum plan, why, the name itself was an eye-opener.  And I’ve seen lately that a fellow’s got to be a Christian, out and out, or his religion is no good.  And when I heard the preacher say, not long ago, that a fellow might dodge Win-My-Chum week, but he couldn’t forever dodge his chum, I knew I had to speak to you.  But you’re sure you’re not offended?”

“Let me admit a thing to you, J.W.  I’ve never said so before, but I’ve been wanting somebody to ask me to be a Christian for a long time.  I was a coward about it, and wouldn’t let on.  I’ve been wanting to find out what I’ve got to do, but I wouldn’t ask.  Do you think I could be a Christian?”

“I know you could be a long way better Christian than I am,” J.W. answered with unwonted feeling.  “And if you did take Jesus Christ to be your Master, it would be more than just your getting religion.  You would be the biggest kind of stand-by for me and for other people I know of.  It’s the one thing you need to be a hundred per cent right.  I’m a pretty poor Christian, myself, Marty, partly because I don’t know how to think much about it, but you’d be dead in earnest to get all that there is in the Christian life, and maybe I could follow along behind.  You’ve always helped every other way, and I’ve always wanted you to help me be a genuine Christian.”

Marty put his hand on J.W.’s shoulder and looked him straight in the eye:  “You’ve got me rated a lot too high,” he said.  “How can I help you?  But we two have been pretty good chums so far, haven’t we?  Well, there’s a lot to settle before I can be sure I’m a Christian, but it means everything for you to think I can be of some use.  And I promise you this, J.W., I’ll not let up until I am a Christian, and we’ll stick together all the more, when I am, us two.  Is that ago?”

It was a go.  J.W. was ready and far more than ready to call it a go.  It had been easier than he had expected, but then it had all been so different from the vague and formal thing he had been afraid of.  He could hardly believe, but he had one request to make.  “I know you’ll settle whatever has to be settled,” he said, a bit unsteadily, “but when it’s all done, and you tell people about it, as I know you will, please, Marty, don’t bring me into it.  Publicly, I mean.  Let’s just have this understanding between ourselves.  I can lead my meeting now, but there’s no need to say anything about me.  Besides, I made a mess of it.”