"How do you know?"
"Don't you suppose I've eyes in my head? You're thin as a rail already."
"Huh! That's only because I've been chasing round with bundles. I was too fat, anyway; didn't get enough exercise at the mills."
"Hal Harling!"
"Straight goods, I didn't. Just stood and fed stuff into that loom from morning till night. You don't call that exercise, do you?"
"I noticed that by night you were often all in, exercise or no exercise," was the dry response. "Well, you've got to go your own gait, I guess."
"I'll bet a hat you wouldn't go and bow down to Corcoran."
The thrust told.
"Bow down to him? I'd crack his nut!"
Hal chuckled with satisfaction at his chum's loyalty.