“Well,” said Peter, “of course I’m very much pleased to have been chosen, but I wish it could have been done with less hard feeling.”

“Hard feelin,’ is it?”

“Yes.”

“Shure, the b’ys are as pleased and kindly this mornin’ as can be.  It’s a fight like that makes them yieldin’ an’ friendly.  Nothin’ but a little head-punchin’ could make them in a sweeter mood, an’ we’d a given them that if little Caggs had had any sense in him.”

“You mean Gallagher and Blunkers and the rest of them?”

“Av course.  That little time last night didn’t mean much.  No one feels bad over that.  Shure, it’s Gallagher was in my place later last night, an’ we had a most friendly time, he treatin’ the whole crowd twice.  We’ve got to fight in the primary to keep the b’ys interested, but it’s seldom that they’re not just as friendly the next day.”

Peter looked at his wall.  He had not liked Gallagher at either time he had met him.  “Still,” he thought to himself, “I have no right to prevent him and Dennis being friends, from the little I’ve seen.”

“Now, sir, about the convention?” said Dennis.

“I suppose Porter is the best man talked of for the nomination,” remarked Peter.

“Begobs, sir, that he’s not,” said Dennis.  “It’s Justice Gallagher was tellin’ me himself that he was a poor kind av creature, wid a strong objection to saloons.”

Peter’s eye lost its last suggestion of doubt.  “Oh, Justice Gallagher told you that?” he asked.  “When?”

“Last night.”

“After the primary?”

“Av course.”

“Whom does he favor?”

“Catlin.”

“Well, Dennis, you’ve made me a delegate, but I’ve got to vote my own way.”

“Shure, sir, Oi’d not have yez do any thin’ else.  It’s yezself knows better than me.  Oi was only tellin’ yez what the Justice—­”

A knock at the door interrupted him.  It proved to be Gallagher, who greeted them both in a hearty, friendly way.  Peter brought another chair from his bedroom.

“Well, Mr. Stirling, that was a fine contest we had last night,” said his honor.

“It seemed to be earnest,” said Peter.

“It’s just as well our friend here sprang your nomination on us as a surprise, for if we had known, we should not have put up an opposition candidate.  You are just the sort of a man we want to represent us in the convention.”

“I have never met my colleagues,” said Peter.  “What kind of men are they?”

So he got Gallagher’s opinion, and Dennis’s opinion.  Then he wanted to know about the candidates, asking questions about them at considerable length.  The intentions of the other city delegates were next introduced.  Finally the probable planks of the platform were brought up.  While they were still under discussion Gallagher said the sitting of his court compelled him to leave.

“I’ll come in some time when I have more to spare.”