Part 43 (2/2)

The first thing I noticed, even in all that crowd, was Rock standing over at one side, and with a hand on his shoulder was the big man that we saw getting off the train. I nudged Plunk, and _he_ looked, and Rock saw us and waved his hand.

Mark began. He made a regular speech, and it kept getting longer and longer, because he hated to come to the point and announce that n.o.body had won and that it was a tie. But he had to at last, because folks began to holler again.

Finally he says, ”T-this has been a wonderful contest, ladies and gentlemen. There hain't ever been sich a contest in Wicksville, and-if I got anything to d-d-do with it-there'll never be another.” I believed _that_ all right.

”The l-ladies,” says he, ”has proved some-thin'. They have p-proved that n.o.body in the world kin beat the wimmin of Wicksville-not even the wimmin of Wicksville themselves.” He stopped and looked around, and though he was pretty uncertain in his mind, he grinned jest as calm as a cabbage.

”The number of subscriptions got by the Home Culturers,” says he, ”is four hunderd and f-f-forty-six.”

There was yells and stamping from the Home Culturers.

”The n-number of subscriptions got by the Lit'ry Circlers is four hunderd and f-f-forty-six,” says he.

There was yells and stamping, but all of a sudden they stopped, and somebody yelled, ”What's that?”

”It's a tie,” says Mark. ”B-both got the s-same number.”

For a minute folks jest looked at one another, and then Mrs. Strubber and Mrs. Bobbin jumped to their feet and began talking at once. I could catch sich words as ”cheat,” and ”put-up job,” and ”crooked,” and like that.

”L-ladies,” says Mark, ”you've kept count of how many subscriptions you got, hain't you?”

”Yes,” says both of 'em.

”What's your count, Mrs. Strubber?” says he.

”We got the number you said, but _they_ never did. Our number is right.

But them wimmin-why, we must 'a' beat 'em by fifty.”

”Mis' Bobbin,” says Mark, ”how do you make your c-count?”

”We make it same as yourn for us,” says she, ”but them Lit'ry Circlers didn't come within ninety of us. I _know_,” says she.

”L-ladies and gentlemen,” says Mark, ”both ladies says their c-count agrees with mine. Both m-makes their n-number f-four hunderd and f-f-forty-six. I guess that shows this contest was on the s-square. If it wasn't d'you think I'd 'a' dared stand up here and announce it was a tie?”

”Don't see how you dared, anyhow,” yelled Uncle Ike Bond. ”I wouldn't 'a' done it for a farm.”

”What we goin' to do?” says Mrs. Strubber. ”We can't leave this here undecided now. The town wouldn't never git over it. Somebody got to be the champeen.”

”You bet,” says Mrs. Bobbin, ”and the Home Culturers has got to be it. I guess our husbands hain't goin' to stand around and let us git done out of our rights.”

”I guess ourn hain't either,” says Mrs. Strubber, and right there it sure looked like the furniture was going to get busted.

Then Mark got an idea.

”L-ladies,” says he, ”I got a way out of it. T-there's a man here that hain't subscribed. Git him up here, and let them two clubs argue him into t-takin' a subscription, and the side that gits him wins.”

They thought that over a minute, and then agreed.

<script>