David laughed delightedly and embraced the trio with greater force as he
said propitiatingly, "Good snugglings, isn't it, old man?"

But at this exact moment Crimie took the situation into his own hands,
slipped his cable, grabbed the book as he went and rolled over a couple
of yards with a delighted giggle. Billy Bob, seeing his treasure
captured, instantly followed and there forthwith ensued a tussle that was
the height of delight to the two good-natured youngsters.

And Phoebe's arms closed around David more closely as she held him
embraced against her shoulder, her soft cheek on his.

"Dave," she whispered, "you know I really don't care at all, don't you?"

"What?" demanded David with alarm in his voice as he raised his head and
looked at her in consternation.

"The election makes no--"

"Oh, _that_--I'd forgotten all about it! Don't scare me like that any
more, peach-bud, please," he besought and he took her chin in the hollow
of his hand as she leant to him, her eyes looking into his, level and
confident but glorious with bestowal. For a long minute he gazed straight
into their dawn-gray depths then he said gently, the caress suspended:

"Woman, if you are ever going to take any of this back, do it now!"

"Never," she answered and clasped her hands against his breast.

"It's still the loafer out of a job--just Dave-do-nothing," he insisted,