“Add the Little Giant as the thirteenth—just for luck!” laughed a knee-staker.
There was a cry of approval.
“The Little Giant! The Little Giant!” rose in a chorus.
“No! No, indeed! I couldn’t!” Peter protested violently.
“Of course you could!” contradicted Carmachel. “Come, come! You mustn’t be so modest, Strong. You are with us for keeping the field, aren’t you?”
“Yes. But there are reasons that you don’t understand why I couldn’t——”
“Pooh! What reasons?”
“I can’t tell you. But I couldn’t possibly go to Mr. Coddington with the men—I couldn’t, really, Carmachel,” reiterated Peter miserably.
“Nonsense! The only question is this—is your sympathy with us or isn’t it?”
“Of course it is!” There was no doubting the fervor of the avowal.