“Three! Three!” agreed Laurie and Cordie with one voice.
“Why—why then I shall be obliged to take up someone else.”
“Heads I’m next, tails I’m not,” said Laurie, tossing a coin in air. “Heads! I’m it. Do your worst.”
“Who is Jefrey Farnsworth?” Lucile asked.
“See!” exclaimed Laurie. “See what I get into right away! Well, since it is Christmas Eve, I dare not tell a lie. I am forced to inform you that the only gentleman at this table was given that name at his birth.”
“You—you are Jefrey Farnsworth?”
“Quite right.”
“Be careful,” warned Cordie, “You’ve used up two questions already.”
Lucile was silent for a moment, then with a smile she said:
“Why did you take an assumed name, and who was Sam, and did he have anything to do with your selling books, and why were you afraid of him?”