having met him, you know," says
Ferdie, rubbin' his chin thoughtful.

"Then maybe you ain't," says I.

When they comes on for a third time, though, and prances through about
as flossy a half-and-half as I've ever seen pulled at a private dance,
Ferdie is some agitated in the mind. He ain't exactly green-eyed, but
he's some disturbed. Yes, all of that!

"I--I think I'd best speak to Marjorie," says he.

"You'll have plenty of competition," says I. "Look!"

For the young chappies are crowdin' around her two deep, makin' dates
for the next numbers. "Ferdie stares at the spectacle puzzled. He's a
persistent messer, though.

"But really," he goes on, "I think I ought to meet that young fellow and
find out who he is."

"Ah, bottle it up until afterwards!" says I. "Don't rock the skiff."

But there's a streak of mule in Ferdie a foot wide. "People will be
asking me who he is!" he insists, "and if I don't know, what will they
think? See, isn't that he, standing just over there?"

And then Mr. Robert has to drift along and complicate matters by joshin'
brother-in-law a little. "Congratulations on your substitute, Ferdie,"
says he. "Where did he come from?"

Which brings a ruddy tint into Ferdie's ears. "Ask Marjorie," says he.
"I'm sure he's an utter stranger to me."

"Wha-a-at?" says Mr. Robert, and when he's had the full situation mapped
out for him blamed if he don't begin to take it serious too.

"To be sure, Ferdie," says he. "Everyone seems to think he must be a
guest of yours; but as he isn't--well, it's quite time someone
discovered. Let's go over and introduce ourselves."

And somehow that didn't listen good to me, either. Marjorie's done a lot
of nice turns for me, and this looked like it was my play to lend a
hand.

"With two or three more," says I, "you could form a perfectly good mob,
couldn't you?"

Mr. Robert whirls and demands sarcastic, "Well, what would you suggest,
young man?"

"He's got all the earmarks of a reg'lar invited guest, ain't he?" says
I. "And unless you're achin' to start somethin', why not let me handle
this 'Who the blazes are you?' act?"

He sees the point too, Mr. Robert does. He shrugs his shoulders and
grins. "That's so," says he. "All right, Torchy. Full diplomatic powers,
and if necessary I shall restrain Ferdie by the collar."

I wa'n't wastin' time on any subtle strategy, though. Walkin' over to
Skeet I taps him on the shoulder, and then it's his turn to gawp at m