ears.

"Not a cent less," said Macnooder firmly, who according to his manner,
having produced the proper hypnotic effect, now came to the point. "Sit
down, Al, if you won't sit down--brace yourself. The idea's coming now
and the idea's loaded with dynamite. Suppose, I say suppose, it was in
my power to boycott you."

"God Almighty couldn't do that," said Al.

"Not as you see it--you're right there, Al, shrewd and clever! Al, there
are ten freshmen in the Dickinson. Think hard now, the idea's growing.
Ten freshmen. Suppose,--I only say suppose now that as a disciplinary
measure we should decide that no freshman could enter the Jigger Shop
say--well let's be moderate--for the space of three months. We might let
them go to Conover's or Laloo's and then again--"

"Macnooder," said Al explosively, "when they lead you to the gallows
I'll be sitting right up front if it cost every cent I have."

"Al, you grieve me."

"It's blackmail! It's extortion and blame it I believe you'd do it."

"No, Al, it's not blackmail, it's not extortion. If I came to you and
said out and out, flat, tear up that account of mine or I'll boycott
you--_that_, Al, that would be all you say."

"My Gawd, Doc, why do you waste your time in this little place anyhow?"

"You see, Al, it's this way," said Macnooder, smiling at the compliment,
"I'm coming to you as Macnooder your attorney, that's one person, to use
his influence with Macnooder the financier, that's another person--I'm a
lobbyist, a paid lobbyist."

"Nineteen dollars and seventy-two cents," said Al in a fainter voice.

"Al, I'm surprised and shocked. I thought your mind leaped at things.
You don't see it yet. You're thinking in terms of ten freshmen--"

"Nineteen doll . . ."

"But suppose the Dickinson lays down the law, suppose the Kennedy
follows suit. You saw what that fellow flashed, a twenty dollar
yellowback, a word to Skippy and the Kennedy would follow. Skippy, you
understand, would have to be _protected_, you get that. Well, what would
happen? Every house in the school would follow suit. What does that
mean? Figure it out. It means one hundred freshmen multiplied by ninety
days multiplied by at least two Jiggers a fresh--per day--you know how
freshmen eat--"

But here, Skippy, terrified, tiptoed away. Macnooder aroused in him the
lust for gold and he wished to retain a few simple ideals. He signaled
Snorky and Hippo and escaped up the road to the home of the pancake.