“Belt? No, I ain’t. Why?”
“I’ll lend you one. You can’t wear suspenders without a vest, of course.”
“I usually do,” objected John.
“Well, it isn’t done here, old man. You do as I tell you and you’ll be all right. Let’s see what kind of a tie you’ve got in there. Thunder! That won’t do! Haven’t you anything that doesn’t look like you—you’d pinched it from a rainbow? Here, I’ll find you one.”
[“Got any other togs in that gripsack of yours?”]
“The principal must be plaguey particular,” growled John as he poured water into the bowl and began to splash.
“He is; something fierce,” said Ned gravely. “You want to look just right when you tackle Horace or he will get miffed right away. Here, put this on. And here’s a belt. It’s an old one, but I guess it’ll do for this time. Got a cap with you?”