if you study at a school of applied science you learn that there's no
hell beyond the present life.

Mallory Tompkins used to prove absolutely that the miracles were only
electricity, and Pupkin used to admit that it was an awfully good
argument, but claimed that he had heard it awfully well answered in a
sermon, though unfortunately he had forgotten how.

Tompkins used to show that the flood was contrary to geology, and
Pupkin would acknowledge that the point was an excellent one, but
that he had read a book,--the title of which he ought to have written
down,--which explained geology away altogether.

Mallory Tompkins generally got the best of the merely logical side of
the arguments, but Pupkin--who was a tremendous Christian--was much
stronger in the things he had forgotten. So the discussions often
lasted till far into the night, and Mr. Pupkin would fall asleep and
dream of a splendid argument, which would have settled the whole
controversy, only unfortunately he couldn't recall it in the morning.

Of course, Pupkin would never have thought of considering himself on
an intellectual par with Mallory Tompkins. That would have been
ridiculous. Mallory Tompkins had read all sorts of things and had
half a mind to write a novel himself--either that or a play. All he
needed, he said, was to have a chance to get away somewhere by
himself and think. Every time he went away to the city Pupkin
expected that he might return with the novel all finished; but though
he often came back with his eyes red from thinking, the novel as yet
remained incomplete.