Carefully the barber let down the heavy coil.

"What!" he exclaimed, seeing it was only "half a head." "Fire, you been
in explosion?"

"Sure!" answered Ned, mechanically.

Then Mike went through a series of groans, grunts and jabs at the air.

"So shame," he wailed. "The hair is so fine--like gold, brown gold."

With many a sigh and groan the barber plied his shears, stopping
constantly to give vent to his feelings with a shrug of his broad
shoulders and deep gutteral mutterings.

"Oh, quit gargling your throat, Mike, and get through with the job. The
young lady is alive, you see, and expects to get back to the Cedars in
time for breakfast," said Ned.

"I am sure that will do," said Dorothy at last, whereat Tavia gladly got
out of the stuffy chair.

"Great!" both boys exclaimed in admiration as they saw how "smart" Tavia
looked.

"It is becoming," said Dorothy.

"Handy," commented Tavia.