"It's a pity he didn't sit down on his boomerang infernal-machine, and
then set it a-going: he might a been on the moon by this time, where the
fool belongs, with the other lunatics. If he ever comes into my new
ice-cream parlor--(twelve by sixteen, gas-lights, three tables, and six
chairs; two spoons furnished with one saucer if desired, and a napkin
for your lady free; ten cents a saucer, and ginger-bread thrown in)--why
out he goes, too quick. Oh, he's a daisy, he is! If you ever want to
remind me of him, anybody, ask me to lend you a dime; and when I shake
my head and my teeth rattle, I'll remember the lunkhead, sure enough."

I frowned down the youngster, for he had promised not to obtrude his
opinion in the presence of Bainbridge. But as his words did not refer in
any manner to the story that Bainbridge was telling us, I should not
have objected to them, but that with Arthur it was necessary to be
cautious in creating precedents, which, as I have intimated, in his case
almost immediately congealed into vested rights; and our agreement had
obligated him to observe complete silence on the subject of Peters'
story, and, if I correctly remember--though Arthur denied this
latter--on all other subjects, in the presence of Doctor Bainbridge.

As Bainbridge appeared to have nothing further to say, and was making
those slight occasional movements which I knew presaged his departure, I
began to talk of Peters' leap; and in the most guarded manner--for with
Bainbridge any question of the facts of his narrative required tact and
delicacy to avoid the giving of offence--to discuss the subject of
leaping in general, the facts and probabilities relating to distance,
and the laws and conditions that might govern and regulate the
running-leap.