“He’s at the store.”
“Have you heard about this conspiracy to send you to military school?” Poor man, he was trying to reach Hervey by the good pal method. He drew his chair close and spoke most confidentially. “I think we can beat it,” he said.
“Leave it to me,” said Hervey.
“You’re not worrying?”
“I’d be there about three days,” said Hervey.
“I think you’d be there about three years, my boy.”
“What do you bet? Everybody’s calling me a crazy daredevil. Do you think I wouldn’t be enough of a daredevil to get away from a military school? Bimbo, that’s a cinch.”
It seemed to be something that Hervey was quite looking forward to; a lure to new adventure. Mr. Talbot went on another tack.
“Well, I thought if we could slip you into the Scouts in time, we could beat your dad to it.”
“I’ll beat them all to it, all right,” said Hervey vaguely. “They arrested that wonder—even of two continents he’s a wonder—but I gave them a good run. I nearly bit that feller’s hand off when he grabbed me. Do you dare me that I won’t get away from military school?”