"Right you are. Bet none of 'em prints it, though." Wherein he was a true prophet.
There was a long, uneasy pause.
"Hal," said Ellis hesitantly.
"Well?"
"I'm a fool."
The white weariness of Hal's face lit up with a smile. "Why, Mac—" he began.
"A pin-head," persisted the other stubbornly. "A block of solid ivory from the collar up. I'm—I'm young in the head," he concluded, with supreme effort of self-condemnation.
"It's all right," said his chief, perfectly knowing what Ellis meant.
"Have I said enough?"
"Plenty."