"Or Constancy," the professor smiled, for once becoming inspired as he threw off his grouch.
"Try Ignorance!" This again from Tommy, who made an attempt to look blissful and only succeeded in making himself ridiculous, I thought.
Old Gates now stretched, cocked an eye up at the weather and, in a drawl, asked:
"Would it be supposing a great deal, sir, to suggest that the lady might be named Much-Learning?"
Whereupon we laughed uproariously, and Tommy slapped him on the knee, exclaiming:
"Papa Gates, you've hit it! Truly, she hath made us mad!"
"All the same," I cried, arising and laughing down at them, "there's one thing you can't explain away! The big adventure's come at last!—the wildest chase——"
"Love chase," Tommy interposed.
"Chase," I repeated, "that man ever started! Are you fellows game enough to see it through—to the very end?"
"Are we?" Tommy yelled, springing to his feet. "To the very end! What say, Gates?—Professor?"