y diet--that's your proper prayer. And you'd better
start praying pretty soon, too!"

"All right, doc," I said resignedly. "You've practically converted me. I
can't say I'm happy over the prospect, but if you say so I'm prepared to
become a true believer. But since, between us, we're about to take all the
joy out of life, let's be thorough. What must I do to be saved? Give me
the horrible details right here. I might as well hear the worst at one
session."

"I'm no dietitian," he said. "I don't profess to be one. That's not my
line--my line is the diagnostic. Of course I could lay down a few broad
general rules for your guidance--any experienced practitioner could do
that--but to get the best returns you should consult a diet specialist.
However, in parting--I have several paying guests waiting for me and we
are now about to part--I will throw in one more bit of advice without
charge. No matter what suggestions you may get from any quarter, I would
urge you not to follow any banting formula so rigorous as to take off your
superfluous flesh very rapidly. Take your time about it. If you live as
long as both of us hope you may you'll have plenty of time. There's no
rush, so go at it gradually. Be regular about it, but don't be too
ambitious at the outset. Don't try to turn yourself into a tricky sprite
in two weeks. For a fat man too abruptly to strip the flesh off his bones
I regard as dangerous. It weakens him and depletes his powers of
resistance and makes him fair game for any stray microbe which may be
cruising about looking for a place to set up housekeeping."

At first blush it might appear to the lay mind that a germ would scarcely
care to pick a bone when it had fat meat to feed on, but my own
recollections bore out my friend's statements. I remembered a man of my
acquaintance, an enormously fleshy and unwieldy man, who, fearing
apoplexy, undertook a radical scheme of banting. He lost fifty pounds in
three months, so apoplexy did not get him, but pneumonia did with great
suddenness. He was sick only three days. Nobody suspected that he was
seriously ill until the third day, when suddenly he just hauled off and
died.

So I promised to have a care against seeking to hurry myself right out of
the flounder class and right into the smelt division.

CHAPTER VIII

_The Friendly Sons of the Boiled Spinach_

My friend gave me the names of several men of acknowledged standing and
told me I should be making no