station, and that I'm here to watch out for fires down below! I'm your
guardian angel, young lady. Treat me with respect, if not with
kindness."

"I'm a member of the no-treat reform club. Honestly, don't they let
you leave here at all?"

"Four days a month." He heaved a heavy sigh and waved his pipe toward
the great outdoors. "'S big world, when it's all spread out in sight,"
he volunteered.

"Can't you--can't you even go down to the lake and fish, when you want
to?"

"Nope. Four days a month--and if they didn't happen to have a spare
man lying round handy, to send up here to take my place, I couldn't go
then even."

Marion regarded him meditatively. "You can have an hour's recess now,
if you like," she offered generously after a minute. "I'll stay and
answer the phone, and stand them off if they want to talk to you. I'm
good at that. You can go and climb down to the lake and fish, and have
fun."

"Tell me to go and jump in the lake and I might do it," Jack returned
gloomily. He found it rather pleasant to be sympathized with and
pitied. "What if a fire broke out while I was gone?"

"Well, what if? I could do what you would do, couldn't I? What do you
do when a fire breaks out?"