Experience has taught me, however, that courtesy is of no use in such an
extremity. Now I say:

"You go away and leave the thing alone, or I will knock your silly head
off."

And if you look determined, and have a good stout cudgel in your hand,
you can generally drive him off.

George came in later in the day. He said:

"Well, do you think everything will be ready?"

I said: "Everything will be ready by Wednesday, except, perhaps, you and
Harris."

He said: "Is the tandem all right?"

"The tandem," I said, "is well."

He said: "You don't think it wants overhauling?"

I replied: "Age and experience have taught me that there are few matters
concerning which a man does well to be positive. Consequently, there
remain to me now but a limited number of questions upon which I feel any
degree of certainty. Among such still-unshaken beliefs, however, is the
conviction that that tandem does not want overhauling. I also feel a
presentiment that, provided my life is spared, no human being between now
and Wednesday morning is going to overhaul it."