"No need to question him," laughed Grace. "His militant friend was rather violent, it appears. Washington, get your blanket and lie down here near the tents. The camp is being guarded and you will be perfectly safe. The others had better turn in also, and get what rest they can. It now lacks only about two hours to daylight, and we shall be able to make an early start, now that Washington is here."
"Yes, he's here, but he would not be here if I had not con-centrated on him," spoke up Emma Dean.
"For the love of goodness, drop that piffle!" begged Hippy wearily. "We have enough serious matters on hand to think about without having to listen to prattle. Laundry, did you know that Miss Dean had been 'con-centrating' on you?"
"What dat? Er hoodoo?"
"Yes, that is what Miss Dean is trying to put on you," laughed Hippy.
"You listen to me, Wash!" demanded Emma spiritedly. "When I was con-centrating on you, making my mind reach out to yours, didn't your hair seem to stand on end just the way a cat's hair does when you stroke it the wrong way—"
"Yes'm! Mah hair stood up all right when dey kotched me," admitted Washington.
"And didn't you feel a distinct electric shock all over your being?"
"Just like as if you had run into an electric light pole?" interjected Hippy.
"No, suh. Didn' feel no shock, 'cept when dat feller kicked me. Ah felt dat all right an' Ah feels it yit."