As he drew to the end of this hypothetical harangue General Belch looked sideways at his companion to see if he probably understood him.

The Honorable Mr. Ele shook his head in turn, looked solemnly into the empty grate, and said, slowly and with gravity: 

“The supposition might be entertained for the sake of the argument.”

The General was apparently satisfied with this reply, for he continued: 

“Let us, then, suppose that a sum of eight or nine thousand dollars having been raised—­and Mr. Bodley having resigned—­that a new candidate is to be selected who shall—­who shall, in fact, serve his country from our point of view, who ought the man to be?”

“Precisely; who ought the man to be?” replied Mr. Ele.

The two gentlemen looked gravely into the grate.  General Belch squirted reflectively.  The Honorable Mr. Ele raised his hand and shaded his eyes, and gazed steadfastly, as if he expected to see the candidate emerge from the chimney.  While they still sat thoughtfully a knock was heard at the door.  The General started and brought down his chair with a crash.  Mr. Ele turned sharply round, as if the candidate had taken him by surprise in coming in by the door.

A boy handed General Belch a note: 

“MY DEAR BELCH,—­B.  Newt, Son, & Co. have stopped.  We do not hear of an assignment, so desire you to take steps at once to secure judgment upon the inclosed account.

“Yours, PERIWING & BUDDBY.”

“Hallo!” said General Belch, as the messenger retired, “old Newt’s smashed!  However, it’s a great while since he has done any thing for the party.—­By Jove!”

The last exclamation was sudden, as if he had been struck by a happy thought.  He took a fresh quid in his mouth, and, putting his hands upon his knees, sat silently for five minutes, and then said,

“I have the man!”

“You have the man?” said Ele, looking at him with interest.

“Certainly.  Look here!”

Mr. Ele did look, as earnestly as if he expected the General to take the man out of his pocket.

“You know we want to get the grant, at any rate.  If we only have men who see from our point of view, we are sure of it.  I think I know a man who can be persuaded to look at the matter from that point—­a man who may be of very great service to the party, if we can persuade him to see from our point of view.”

“Who is that?” asked Mr. Ele.

“Abel Newt,” replied General Belch.

Mr. Ele seemed somewhat surprised.

“Oh—­yes—­ah—­indeed.  I did not know he was in political life,” said he.

“He isn’t,” returned General Belch.

Mr. Ele looked for further instructions.

“Every body must begin,” said Belch.  “Look here.  If we don’t get this grant from Congress, what on earth is the use of having worked so long in this devilish old harness of politics?  Haven’t we been to primary meetings, and conventions, and elections, and all the other tomfoolery, speechifying and plotting and setting things right, and being bled, by Jupiter!—­bled to the tune of more hundreds than I mean to lose; and now, just as we are where a bold push will save every thing, and make it worth while to have worked in the nasty mill so long, we must have our wits about us.  Do you know Abel Newt?”