shoulder and he
went back into his chair with a bump. Then he looked up, and saw Bannon
standing over him. The boss was trying to speak, but he had to wait a full
minute before he could make himself heard. He glanced around and saw the
look of appeal in Hilda's eyes.

"Look here, boys," he said, when the room had grown quiet; "we aren't
handing out any soft soap at this dinner. I won't let this man up till he
promises to quit talking about me."

There was another burst of laughter, and James shouted something that
nobody understood. Bannon looked down at him, and said quietly, and with a
twinkle in his eye, but very firmly:--

"If you try that again, I'll throw you out of the window."

James protested, and was allowed to get up. Bannon slipped into his seat
by Hilda.

"It's all right," he said in a low tone. "They won't know it now until we
get out of here." His hand groped for hers under the table.

James was irrepressible. He was shouting quickly now, in order to get the
words out before Bannon could reach him again.

"How about this, boys? Shall we stand it?"

"No!" was the reply in chorus.

"All right, then. Three cheers for Mr. Bannon. Now--Hip, hip--"

There was no stopping that response.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CALUMET "K"***

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