“He’s getting to be a strong, healthy bug, don’t you think?”
“I think that’s just the reason you copped this new fellow, Jeffrey. You wanted to please Raymond. And you let them both think that you’re a patrol——”
Garry smiled.
“I think maybe the fact that Jeffrey lives near you——”
“It isn’t so near.”
“Well, anyway, I think maybe that has something to do with it. But I’m going to pass you some straight talk, Everson, and I don’t want you to get mad. You know, Slade is crazy about his patrol and by all the rules of the game this fellow belongs with him. He’s nutty about his patrol, whereas you haven’t really any patrol at all.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?”
“Well, then, why not let Tom have him?”
“Jeffrey isn’t a slave.”
“I know, but he’ll do anything you tell him is best for him.”