e
throng thinner.

"Good land! Is she going to be all night? Wish 't I hadn't proposed it.
That's the worst of taking a woman anyplace. Fuss and fiddle by the
hour in front of the looking-glass. Em! (Be all over by the time we get
there) Oh, Em! Em!... EM! (Holler my head offl) EM!.... Well, why don't
you answer me? Well, I didn't hear you. How much long--Oh, I know
about-- 'Hour' you mean.... Oh, how do you do, Mrs. Conklin? Hello, Fred.
Pleased to meet you, Miss Shoemaker. Yes, I saw in the paper you were
visiting your sister. This your first visit to our little burg? Yes,
we think it's quite a place. You see, we're trying to make your stay as
interesting as possible.... Oh, no, not altogether on your account. No,
no. Ha! Ha-ha-ha! Hum! ah!... Well, yes, if she ever gets done primping
up. Oh, there you are. Miss Shoemaker, let me make you acquainted with
my wife. Now, you girls'll have to get a move on if you want to see
anything."

The male escorts grasp the ladies' arms and shove them ahead, that being
the only way if you are ever going to get any place. The women gasp and
pant and make a great to-do.

"Ooh! Wait till I get my breath. Will! Weeull! Don't go so fay-ust!
Oooh! I can't stand it. Oh, well, you're a man."

But when they turn the corner that gives them a good view of the
blaze, fluttering great puffs of flame, and hear the steady crackle and
snapping, as it were, of a great popper full of pop-corn, they, too,
catch the infection, and run with a loud swashing and slatting of
skirts, giggling and squealing about their hair coming down.

In the waving orange glare the crowd is seen, shifting and moving. It
seems impossible for the onlookers to remain constant in one spot. The
chief, Charley Lomax, is gesticulating with wide arm movements. He puts
his speaking-trumpet to his mouth. "Yoffemoffemoffemoffemoffi" he says.

"Wha-at?" the men halloo back.

"Yoffemoffemoffemoffemoff."

"What'd he say?"

"Search me. John, you run over and ask him what he wants. Or, no; I'll
go myself."

"Why in Sam Hill didn't you come sooner?" demands the angry chief.

"Well, why in Sam Hill don't you talk so 's a body can understand you?
'Yoffemoffemoffemoffem.' Who can make sense out o' that?"

"The hose ain't long enough to reach from here to the hydrant. You 'n'
some more of 'em run down t' th' house an' git that other reel."

"Aw, say, Chief! Look here. I'm awful busy right now. Can't somebody
else go?"

"Yo