beauties--are you wise?"

"But, Great Scott, man! it's not mine!" I gasped.

"Roll a small pill and get together," admonished Bunch, with a
seraphic smile. "Can't you figure the trick to win? All you have
to do is to coax your gang out there and then break the painful
news to them that you've suddenly discovered the place is haunted
and that you're going to sell it and buy a better bandbox--getting
wise?"

"Bunch," I murmured, weakly, "you've saved my life, temporarily,
at least. Where is this palace?"

"Only forty minutes from the City Hall--any old City Hall," he
answered, "It's at Jiggersville, on the Sitfast & Chewsmoke R.R.,
eighteen miles from Anywhere, hot and cold sidewalks and no
mosquitoes in the winter. Here you are, full particulars," and
with this Bunch handed me a printed card which let me into all the
secrets of that haven of rest in the tall grass.

Bless good old Bunch!

I offered to buy him a quart of Ruinart but he said his thirst
wasn't working, so I had to paddle off home.

That evening for the first time in several weeks I felt like
speaking to myself.

I was the life of the party and I even beamed approvingly when