wanted. I'm twenty days now. Wouldn't hurt me to go
another ten. If I went to town alone I'd never come back."

"It ain't so easy, Glen. You have to wear your uniform so everybody
knows what you are. If you aren't back by six o'clock they have the
police after you. The old man made a great talk about his honor system,
but as long as you have to wear your uniform there's plenty of people to
watch you."

"I could find a way to get around that," insisted Glen.

"Well, so could I. I've got one all planned out that I'm going to work
some day. I'll get leave to go to the dentist late some afternoon. The
car to come back leaves his office at five o'clock. He doesn't want to
stay until five because he goes off to play golf. So he'll leave me in
his waiting-room when he goes. I'll have a suit of overalls rolled up
under my uniform. Soon as the doctor goes I'll change my clothes. You
can't get out without being seen but I'll hide right there in the
building till it closes and then get down the fire-escape."

"I guess somebody'd see you go down and a policeman would get you."

"I guess they wouldn't. I wouldn't try till late at night when there
wasn't anybody around. Then I'd pick a dark night, and that fire-escape
is in the back end of the building, so I guess there wouldn't nobody see
me."

"Oh, mebbe there wouldn't. Supposin' you did get away. Where'd you go?"

"I'd have that all fixed. I'd put on my other clothes and pitch my
uniform away and that night would get me twenty-five miles where
nobody'd think of looking for me."

"Oh, I dunno. I guess you'd be easy picked up. Anybody could tell you a
mile off. All to do is to look for a broom handle out walking all by
itself."

"Broom handle yourself, Glen Mason. I've got the makings of a big man if
ever I'd get enough to eat."

"You go high enough up to be a big man, but you've stretched too much.
If you'd ever learn to be a contortionist and tie yourself into three
knots close together, you'd do better."

"You're always saying something mean. I wish I hadn't told you my plan
at all."

"I won't do anything to your old plan."

"I ain't so sure. 'Twouldn't be above ye to steal it."

"I s'pose you dare me to do it."

"Yes, I dare ye to do it."

"An' you think I'd steal a plan from a mate?"

"I think you'd do anything."

There were many who had just as poor an opinion of Glen. He himself
found it remarkably easy to do mean and low acts and had almost ceased
to