"It was all the doings of your Seven Sweethearts, as you call them," exclaimed Tom Seddon. "They must be made to leave the town."
"They have all gone but two," said Toney. "The exodus of Love, Dove, and Bliss leaves Pate and Wiggins alone to conduct the operations of lady-killing and making havoc among hearts."
"And Wiggins has killed Claribel, if I am not mistaken," said Seddon. "They must be made to leave," said he, with emphasis. "Pate has been bobbing his big bald head about in the mansion of old Crabstick, and has been gallanting Ida all around. He has magnetized her eccentric guardian, who is under the impression that Pate is wealthy, and cordially welcomes him to his house; while he will hardly allow me to exchange a word with Ida, and sometimes when I am in the parlor he will have one of his fits of hypochondria, or whatever you may call it, and will come bounding in on all fours, barking and pretending to bite. It is all put on; for the old Cerberus is polite enough in the presence of M. T. Pate."
"Well, Tom, how do you propose to effect the expulsion of the Noble Grand Gander and the Most Worthy Donkey?" asked Toney.
"They met me on the street about an hour ago," said Seddon, "and proposed that we three should accompany them on a serenade, intended for the entertainment of Ida."
"How far does Crabstick live from the town?" inquired Toney.
"About two miles," said Tom.
"Let us go," said Toney.
"I will arrange with some young men in Bella Vista, who will eagerly participate in the performance. We will have fun," said Seddon.
"There is nothing like fun," said the Professor. "I am about to originate a sect to be called the Funny Philosophers. Let's organize it at once. We three,—Toney, Tom, and Tickle."