“An’ what ‘bug-house,’” he inquired, with biting sarcasm, “is your bright friends spendin’ their vacation at?”
Toby flushed to the roots of his unkempt hair. The sudden death of his triumph was almost tragic. His face fell, and his heavy jaw dropped in pathetic astonishment. But it was not Bill’s sarcasm alone that so bit into his bones, it was the jeering light he witnessed in Sandy’s eyes, combined with the undisguised ridicule of Sunny’s open grin. His blood began to rise; he felt it tingling in the great extremities of his long arms. The obvious retort of the witless was surging through his veins and driving him.
But the Trust president was talking, and the calm of coming storm was held for a moment. But it is doubtful if the object of his harangue grasped anything of his meaning, so great was his anger against his grinning comrades.
“Beef bones an’ soap!” cried Bill harshly, at the unheeding man. “If they was asses bones we’d sure only need to open up your family mausoleum to git enough bones to raise a farm o’ babbies on. I’d like to say right here, the feller wot don’t know the natural use o’ soap is a danger to the health an’ sanitary fixin’s o’ this yer camp. Beef bones an’ soap!” he went on, as though the very combination of the words was an offense to his gastronomical senses. “You pumpkin-faced idjut, you mush-headed tank o’ wisdom, you masterpiece of under-done mule brain, how in sizzlin’ torment you’re figgerin’ to ladle soap into the vitals of inoffendin’ babbies, an’ push beef bones through their innercent stummicks, ’ud par’lize the brains of every science society in this yer country to know, an’ drive the whole world o’ physic dealers barkin’ like a pack o’ mangy coyotes wi’ their bellies flappin’ in a nor’-east blizzard. Gosh-dang it, you misfortunate offspring of Jonah parents, we’re settin’ out to raise kids. We ain’t startin’ a patent manure fact’ry, nor runnin’ a Chinese hand laundry––”
But the president’s picturesque flow was lost in a sudden commotion. The calm was broken, and the storm burst. The weight of ridicule in his comrades’ faces was too much for Toby, and he leapt from the foot of the bunk on which he was sitting. He projected himself with more force than cunning in the direction of the grinning loafer, bent on bodily hurt to his victim. But his leap fell short by reason of Sunny’s agility. The latter snatched up the oil-lamp and dodged behind the table, with the result that Toby’s great body sent the candles flying, and itself fell amidst the legs of the upset table. He was on his feet in an instant, however, ready to continue with all his might his vengeful pursuit. But the heavy hand of Bill fell upon his coat collar with irresistible force, and, with a jerk, he was hurled across the room out of harm’s way.
“Ther’s more hell to the back o’ that if you come ag’in, Toby,” the gambler cried, with cold threat. “An’ as for you, Sunny,” he went on, turning on the Trust secretary, “I’ll set the boys to wash you clean in Minky’s trough if you so much as smile ag’in till we’re through. Fix them candles, an’ sit right down––the lot of you.”
He stood for a moment eyeing the lurid face of Toby. Nor did he move until the burly remittance man had pulled himself together. He watched him settle himself again on the foot of the bunk, passive but inwardly raging. Then, as the candles were once more replaced in the bottles and lit, he calmly picked up his document and returned to his couch. The whole episode passed in a few moments, and outward equanimity was quickly restored. Such was the hot, impulsive nature of these men.
The president lost no time in proceeding with the business in hand. He addressed his friends generally.
“I ain’t goin’ to say a word ’bout the elegant information gathered by our bright junior member,” he said slowly. “You’ve all heard it, an’ I guess that’s sure all that’s needed. Wher’ he got it, is his funeral––or should be. Leastways, if it ain’t satisfact’ry it shows laudable enterprise on his part––which is good for this yer Trust.”
He paused and referred to his document. And in that moment, burning to further crush Toby, and add to his own glorification by reason of the superiority of his information, Sandy cleared his throat to speak. This was to be the moment of his triumph. He meant to wipe out the memory of past failures in one sweep.