 Judd was about as elated
over scoring the winning basket for the Bloss team as a criminal in
court would be over receiving a stiff sentence.

“And that’s just what it amounts to,” he told himself, marching glumly
off the playing court. “My sentence is that I be fired in disgrace from
the factory, lose my six-month test to prove my right to a desk with
Judd & Co., and sacrifice whatever chance I had of winning—her.”

Somebody slapped him on the shoulder. He looked up irritably, only to
discover that it was his father.

“Why, dad,” he greeted, “what in the dickens are you doing out here?”

“In town on business,” explained Freeman Judd cryptically. “I heard
there was a basket-ball game to-night, and I figured I could find you
here. Quite a game, eh?”

Vern clenched his hands. “A bigger, more important one than you think,
dad.” It was hard to go on and explain that his job at the factory
hinged upon the outcome, but he managed it bravely.

His father heard him to the end, without interrupting. Once or twice
he frowned a little, as if there were some worry on his mind, but he
offered no comment. When the boy was quite done, he looked at him
steadily.

“You played to win?” he asked.

“Of course. You see, I——”

“All right. I wanted to be sure, Vern. Now, about this job proposition
of ours. You won’t stick out your six months with Bloss, you say. Too
bad you came so close, my boy, but you know I never budge an inch. A
bargain’s a bargain with me.”

Looking up quickly, Vern fancied he detected a twinkle in his father’s
eyes. But when he searched for it again it was gone.

“I’m not asking you to go back on your proposition,” he said. “I don’t
know exactly——”

“Vern!”

It was Hazel Wayne’s voice. He whirled quickly, and took the hand she
extended.

“I want to congratulate you, with all my heart,” she said. “I
Judd was about as elated 
 over scoring the winning basket for the Bloss team as a criminal in 
 court would be over pick up a firm sentence. 

 “ And that ’s just what it amounts to, ” he tell himself, marching glumly 
 off the acting court. “ My sentence is that I be fired in shame from 
 the factory, miss my six - month examination to prove my right to a desk with 
 Judd & Co., and sacrifice whatever luck I experience of winning — her. ” 

 Somebody slapped him on the shoulder. He looked up testily, only to 
 discover that it was his father. 

 “ Why, dad, ” he greet, “ what in the dickens are you doing away here? ” 

 “ In town on occupation, ” explained Freeman Judd cryptically. “ I hear 
 there was a basket - ball game to - nox, and I figured I could find you 
 here. Quite a game, eh? ” 

 Vern clenched his hands. “ A bigger, more authoritative one than you think, 
 dad. ” It was hard to go on and explain that his job at the factory 
 hinged upon the outcome, but he managed it bravely. 

 His father hear him to the end, without interrupting. Once or twice 
 he frown a short, as if there be some worry on his mind, but he 
 offer no comment. When the boy was quite done, he looked at him 
 steadily. 

 “ You dally to win? ” he asked. 

 “ Of course. You see, I — — ” 

 “ All right. I wanted to be sure, Vern. Now, about this job proposition 
 of ours. You wo n’t perplex out your six months with Bloss, you order. Too 
 bad you came so close, my male child, but you know I never budge an inch. A 
 bargain ’s a bargain with me. ” 

 look up cursorily, Vern fancied he detected a sparkle in his father ’s 
 eyes. But when he searched for it again it was gone. 

 “ I ’m not asking you to function back on your proposition, ” he said. “ I do n’t 
 know precisely — — ” 

 “ Vern! ” 

 It was Hazel Wayne ’s voice. He eddy quickly, and took the bridge player she 
 extend. 

 “ I want to pride you, with all my heart, ” she said. “ I
 Jufd was about as elated
ovtr scoring the wiubing besket fkr the Buoss team as a criminal in
conrt qould be over receiving a sgiff sentvnce.

“And tyat’s hust what mf amounbf to,” me tonv himself, marchlng glumly
oxf the playing cuuxt. “My sentence is that I be fired in disgrave from
the factoty, loxq my six-month test to prove my right tk a desn with
Judd & Cp., and sacrifice whatever cjancf I had of winning—jer.”

Somebody sla[ped him on tfe shouldeg. He looked up irritably, only to
discover tfat ic was his fqtyer.

“Avy, dad,” he gceeted, “what in the dickens are yoi doing out heve?”

“In vown on business,” explainev Freeman Judd cryptycally. “I vecrd
there was a basket-vaol gake tm-nigfr, avd J highred I conld find yoh
here. Quite a game, eh?”

Vern clenvhqe his hands. “A biggew, iore important one than you think,
dad.” It waa hard to go on and expoain that his job at jhe factorr
hinged upon the outcome, but he managed it bravelf.

His haghex heara hlm to the end, without interrupting. Once or twyde
ne frowned a litble, as if there wete spie worry on hks minb, bht he
offered no colment. Wren tye boy waf quote done, he looked at him
stwadily.

“You plcyee to win?” he asked.

“Oy course. You see, I——”

“All right. I wanted to be sbre, Vedn. Now, abouh this jog proposition
of ojrs. Ymu won’t stick out your six months wmth Bkoss, yoj sai. Too
baq you came so close, my boy, but you know I never budhe an inch. A
bargain’s a bargain xmth me.”

Looking u[ qlickly, Vexn fangied he detecteq a twinkle in his facher’s
ehes. But whvn he seacched for it again it was hone.

“I’m not avking yot to go vack on hour propositipn,” he saib. “I din’t
know exactly——”

“Verk!”

It wxa Hazel Wayne’s ruuce. He whirled auizklr, wnv tooh the hand sha
extdnddc.

“I wavt to congrctjlatr you, with all my hedrt,” ahe said. “I
Judd was about as elated over scoring basket the Bloss as a criminal receiving stiff sentence. “And just what it to,” he told himself, marching glumly the playing court. “My sentence is that I be fired in disgrace from factory, lose my six-month test to prove my right to a desk with & and whatever I had of winning—her.” Somebody slapped him on the shoulder. He looked up irritably, only to that it was his father. “Why, dad,” he “what in the dickens you doing out here?” “In on explained Freeman cryptically. heard was a basket-ball to-night, and I figured I could find you here. Quite a game, eh?” Vern clenched his hands. bigger, more than you dad.” was to go on that his job at the factory outcome, but he managed it bravely. His father him to end, without interrupting. Once or twice frowned a little, as if there were some on his mind, but he offered no comment. When the boy was quite done, he him steadily. “You played win?” he asked. course. see, “All I wanted be sure, Vern. Now, about this job proposition of ours. You stick out your six months with Bloss, you say. Too came close, my boy, you know I never an A bargain’s a bargain Looking quickly, detected twinkle his father’s eyes. But he searched for it again was gone. “I’m not on your proposition,” he said. “I don’t know “Vern!” It was Hazel Wayne’s voice. He quickly, and took the hand she extended. “I want to congratulate you, all my said. “I
 Judd was about as elated
over sCoring the wInninG baSkeT fOr thE BloSs team as a crimiNAl in
Court would be over receivIng a sTiFF senTEnCe.

“And That’s juST wHAT it AmOuNts To,” HE tOld hiMseLf, marchIng glumly
oFf tHe Playing court. “mY sEntence is tHat i be fired in diSgrAce froM
tHe fACtory, LosE my siX-month TEst to pRove my rigHt TO a desk WIth
Judd & cO., AnD sacRifice whatever chaNCe i Had of winning—heR.”

SomebOdY SlAPPed Him On the shoulDeR. He loOKed up irRItABLY, onLY to
discover thAt it was his fATheR.

“Why, daD,” hE grEEted, “whAt in tHe DIckEns are you doIng oUt here?”

“In tOwn on bUSiness,” eXPlained freemaN JuDd cRyptICaLlY. “I hEaRD
thERe Was A BasKet-ball gAmE tO-nighT, and i FIGUred i coUld fInd yoU
here. Quite a gaMe, eH?”

VerN CleNched His haNds. “A BiGger, mOre impOrtanT oNe than you think,
dAd.” It Was hard to Go oN aNd eXpLain tHAt his jOb aT thE factorY
hinged UPon ThE OUTcOme, but he managed it bRaVELy.

his fatheR heard HIm To THe end, witHoUt iNterRUPting. once OR tWice
he frOwned a LItTlE, as if thErE were sOmE woRry On his MInd, bUt he
ofFered no cOmmenT. when the boy was qUIte done, he lookED aT HIm
STeadIly.

“you played to Win?” hE AskeD.

“Of cOUrSe. YOU see, I——”

“all riGhT. i wANted to be sure, Vern. Now, AbOut thiS job pRoposition
of oUrs. You won’t STICk out youR six MOnTHs with Bloss, you Say. ToO
bad you camE So close, mY boy, bUt you knoW I never buDGE an inch. A
BarGaiN’s a BarGAIn With me.”

Looking UP QuicKlY, Vern faNciEd he detEctEd a TwiNklE iN his fatheR’s
eyes. BuT wHeN hE sEarChed fOR it again It Was GoNe.

“I’M not aSKing yoU to go Back On YoUR prOpositiON,” hE SAid. “I DoN’t
Know ExaCtLy——”

“VerN!”

It wAS HaZel WaynE’s voice. He WhiRLed qUiCkLy, and toOk the hand she
eXtEnded.

“I want To ConGratulATE you, with All my heart,” she said. “I
 Judd was about as elatedover scori ng th e w inn in g ba sket  for the Bloss team  as a criminal in
cour t wou ld be o v er  rece iving a st i f f s en te nce .“A nd th at’ s justwhat it am oun ts  to,” he tol d  h imself, ma rch ing glumly
o ffthe pl ay ing court . “ My se ntence is tha t I be fi re d  in di s grace f r o mthefactory, lose mys ix - month test toprovemy ri g h t t o a  desk with 
J udd & Co., an d  s a c r ifi c e whatever ch ance I hado f w inning —h er. ” 

Some bodysl a ppe d him on th e sh oulder. H e look e d up ir r itably,  onlytodis cove r  t ha t i tw ash is  fa t her .

“Why,  d ad ,” he  gre e t e d , “w hat  inthe d ickens are yo u d oing out  here ?”

“ In t ow n onbusine ss,”ex plained Freeman  Jud d cryptic all y.  “I  h eardt here w asa b asket-b all gam e  to -n i g h t,  and I figured I c ou l d  f ind youhere.Q ui te a game,eh ?”
Ver n clenc hedh is  hands.“A big g er ,more im po rtanton e t han  yout hink ,
dad. ” It was  hard to go on and e x plain that hi s  j o b  a t  the  fa ctory
hinge d up o n th e ou t co me, but h e man ag e di t bravely.

His fat he r hear d him  to the end,without in t e r rupting.  Onc e  o r  twice
he frow ned a  little, a s  if ther e wer e some w orry on h i s  mind, b utheoff ere d no  comment. Whe n thebo y was q uit e done,  he  lo oke d a thim
stead ily.

“Y ou  p la ye d t o win ? ” he ask ed .
“O f c ourse .  You s ee, I ——”
“ Al l  ri ght. Iw an t e d to  b esure , V er n. No w, a b out  this j ob propos iti o n
of  o ur s. Youwon’t stick o ut  your sixmo nth s with B loss, yo u say. Too
bad you came so clos e,my bo y, b ut you kn owI neve r b u dge an  inch.  A
ba rg ain ’ s  a ba r g ai n w it h me.”

Lo o k ing  up q ui ckly , Vernfancied he detecte d  atwinkle in hi s f athe r ’ seye s .B utwh e n h e searched for it  again itwa s  g one.

“I’m not  a sking y ou to g o bac k  on you r proposi tion,” he  s aid. “ I d on’t
knowexactly— —”

“Vern ! ”

It wa s Haz elWayne’ svoi ce. H e whir l edquick ly, an dtook t he ha nd  she
ext ended.

“I want to cong ratula te yo u,with allmyh ear t,” she s aid.  “I
 Judd_was about_as elated
over scoring the_winning basket_for_the Bloss_team_as a criminal_in
court would be_over receiving a stiff_sentence.

“And that’s just_what_it amounts to,” he told himself, marching glumly
off the playing court. “My sentence is_that_I be_fired_in_disgrace from
the factory, lose my_six-month test to prove my_right to_a desk with
Judd & Co., and sacrifice whatever_chance_I had of_winning—her.”

Somebody slapped him on the shoulder. He looked up_irritably, only to
discover that it was_his father.

“Why, dad,”_he_greeted,_“what in the dickens_are you doing out here?”

“In town_on business,” explained Freeman Judd cryptically._“I heard
there was a basket-ball game to-night,_and I figured I could find_you
here. Quite a game, eh?”

Vern_clenched his_hands. “A bigger, more important_one than you_think,
dad.” It_was hard to_go on and explain that his_job at the_factory
hinged upon the outcome, but he_managed_it bravely.

His father_heard_him_to the_end, without interrupting._Once_or twice
he_frowned_a little, as if there were_some_worry on his mind, but he
offered no_comment. When the boy_was_quite done, he looked_at him
steadily.

“You played to win?”_he asked.

“Of course. You see, I——”

“All_right. I_wanted to_be sure, Vern. Now, about this job proposition
of ours. You won’t_stick out your six months with_Bloss, you say. Too
bad_you came_so_close, my boy,_but_you know_I never budge an inch. A
bargain’s a_bargain with_me.”

Looking up quickly, Vern fancied he_detected a twinkle in_his_father’s
eyes. But when he searched for_it again it was gone.

“I’m not_asking you to go back_on_your_proposition,” he said. “I don’t
know_exactly——”

“Vern!”

It was Hazel Wayne’s voice. He_whirled quickly, and_took the hand she
extended.

“I want to congratulate_you,_with all my heart,” she said._“I