“Seems to me yo’re mighty fresh, young man,” he blustered.  “What kind of politics is Langdon playin’?”

“Not fresh, Colonel; only friendly.  I’m just tipping you off how not to be a friend to Altacoola.  As to his politics, the Senator will answer you himself.”

A scornful laugh accompanied Telfer’s reply.

“Altacoola, huh!  I reckon yo’ must be a fool, after all.  Why, everybody knows of the speculatin’ in land around Altacoola, and everybody knows it ain’t outsiders that’s doin’ it.  It’s the insiders, right here in Washington.  If yo’ ain’t in, yo’ can easy get a latchkey.  Young man, yo’ll find out things some day, and yo’ll drop to it all.

“I guess I was too late with yo’.  That’s about the size of it.  I guess Altacoola’ll talk to yo’,” went on the Mayor.  “If that feller Fairbrother of Altacoola had been able to hold his tongue maybe I wouldn’t know so much.  But now I know what’s what.  I know this—­that yo’re either a big fool or—­an insider.  Yo’re a nice young feller.  I have kind-a taken a fancy to yo’.  I like to see yo’ young fellers get along and not miss yo’r chances.  Come, my boy, get wise to yo’rself, get wise to yo’rself!  Climb on to the band wagon with yo’ friends.”

Bud concluded that he might be able to get more definite information out of Telfer if he humored him a bit.

“I tell you, Colonel,” he finally said, “these are pretty grave charges you’re making, but I’ll tell you confidentially, owing to your liking for me, that it is not yet too late to do something for Gulf City.  Now, just suppose you and I dine together to-night early, and we’ll go over the whole ground to see how things lie.  Will you?”

The Colonel held out his hand, smiling broadly.  He felt that at last he had won the secretary over; that the young man was at heart anxious to take money for his influence with the Senator.

“All right, my boy, yo’re on.  We’ll dine together.  Yo’ are absolutely certain that it won’t be too late to get to Senator Langdon?”

“Absolutely positive.  I wouldn’t make a mistake in a matter like this, would I, unless I was what you said I was—­a fool?”

“Of course not.  Oh, yo’re a slick one.  I like to do business with folks like yo’.  It’s mighty educatin’!”

“Thanks,” answered Bud, dryly.  “It’s certain that Langdon won’t decide which place he’s for until to-morrow.  I promise you that he won’t decide until after I have my talk with you.”

“Yo’ see,” said Telfer, “I asked that question because, as yo’ probably know, Congressman Norton and his crowd is pretty close to Senator Langdon—­”

Haines cut him short with a gasp of surprise.

“Norton!”

Telfer, wrinkling his forehead incredulously, looked at Haines.  “Surest thing you know, my boy.”

Bud turned his head away in thought.

“Oh, leave the Norton outfit to me.  I’ll fool them,” he finally said.