didn't like the idea."

Sally chortled. The picture of the small, truculent Mike in frenzied
revolt with a club against the idea of being decked with jewelry....
Mike turned to the two big men and shoved at them imperiously.

"Move over!" he growled. "If you two big lummoxes had dropped in on
those crazy goofs instead of me, they'd've thought you were elephants
and set you to work hauling logs!"

He squirmed to a seat between them. He still looked ashamed, but it was
shame of a different sort. Now he looked as if he wished he hadn't
mistrusted his friends for even a moment. And he included Sally.

"Anyhow," he said suddenly in a different tone, "maybe it did do some
good for me to get all worked up! I got kind of frantic. I figured
somebody'd made a fool of me, and I was going to put something over on
you."

"Mike!" said Sally reproachfully.

"Not like you think, Sally," said Mike, grinning a little. "I made up my
mind to beat these lummoxes at their own game. I asked Joe about my
brainstorm in the plane. He didn't know what I was driving at, but he
said what I hoped was so. So I'm telling you--and," he added fiercely,
"if it's any good everybody gets credit for it, because all of us
four--even two big apes who try kidding--are responsible for it!"

He glared at them. Joe asked. "What is it, Mike?"