"That's all right," spoke up George. "Up yonder where your topknot is there's an aching void. I read the other day that Sydney Smith said 'Nature never built a man more than seven stories high without leaving the top loft empty'."
"On the contrary," spoke up John, "all the great men have been those who could look down on the rest of the world."
"Huh!" broke in Grant, "it will do you good to find out how much of your statement is really true. What do you think of Caesar, Napoleon, William of Orange, General Grant, Alexander Stephens, Alexander Hamilton--"
"That will do, my son. That will do," said John, patting Grant upon the head. "That is a sufficiency of information this morning. Pray desist. In other words, shut up. If we don't stop you pretty soon you'll start in on the matter of canals again. All the way up from New York," he added, turning to Miss Susie as he spoke, "he has been giving us undigested and undesirable information about the canals. He even said that the Amsterdam Canal connected the Zuider Zee with the North Sea."
"So it does," said Grant quickly. "If you'll tell me how long that canal is I'll buy the dinner, when we stop at Cape Vincent."
"One hundred and sixty-five miles," declared John promptly. As he spoke, however, he glanced at his cuff on which the fact was plainly written.
"That doesn't count," declared Grant. "No ponying in this game. Look up into the sky, John, which isn't very far from you, and if you'll tell me how long the Panama Canal is I'll call it square and buy the dinner."
"The--Panama--Canal--is--is--quite long."
"So I have heard," laughed Grant. "I guess you buy the dinner."
"How long is it?" inquired John. "I knew, but I have forgotten."