Page:Nid and Nod (IA nidnod00barb).pdf/187

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mind or body. They went early to bed and, although Laurie roused once to hear Ned in the throes of nightmare and had to quiet him before returning to his own dreamless slumber, awoke in the morning their normal selves again.

After breakfast that morning Laurie announced to Ned that he was going to walk down and explain the broken window, and settle for it if settlement was demanded. Ned said, "All right, come along." But Laurie persuaded the other that his presence during the conference with the quarry company officials was not only unnecessary but inadvisable. "You see," he elaborated, "it's going to require tact, old son, and Tact, as you know, is my middle name. Now, if I took you along you'd be sure to say something to queer the whole show and I'd have to fork over a dollar, maybe. No, better leave this to me, Ned."

"Must say you fancy yourself a bit this morning," scoffed Ned. "All right, though. Come over to Bob's when you get back. I told him I'd go around there and look at the court."

Laurie saved his dollar by narrating a moving tale of his fall from the cliff to the occupants