"'Taint the $250, old man, I didn't want that. I want a couple of thousand."
Underwood could not help laughing.
"A couple of thousand? Why not make it a million?"
Howard's demand struck him as being so humorous that he sat down convulsed with laughter.
Looking at him stupidly, Howard helped himself to another drink.
"It seems I'm a hit," he said with a grin.
Underwood by this time had recovered his composure.
"So you've done nothing since you left college?" he said.
"No," answered Howard. "I don't seem to get down to anything. My ideas won't stay in one place. I got a job as time-keeper, but I didn't keep it down a week. I kept the time all right, but it wasn't the right time," Again raising his glass to his lips, he added: "They're so beastly particular."
"You keep pretty good time with that," laughed Underwood, pointing to the whiskey.