“Well,” pursued Clif, “now here’s a case, sir. Suppose you’ve got one person set on doing a certain thing a certain way and you’ve got three other fel――persons set on having him do it another way. Do you think that the three can make the first fellow do it their way by――by mental suggestion, or whatever you call it? I guess that’s sort of mixed-up, the way I put it, but maybe you understand what I’m getting at.” “Yes, I understand, but I can’t say yes or no to it. You see, it might depend on several things. First of all, I dare say, on whether what the three wanted was something very much opposed to the one man’s――er――inclinations, something that in the natural order of events he wouldn’t consider doing. For instance, there are three of you chaps. I might get out of this chair with the intention of walking to the door and going back to the Inn. If you three willed that instead of walking to the door I should crawl on my hands and knees you’d doubtless lose out for the simple reason that I am not accustomed to taking my departure in that fashion and would consider it――er――both uncomfortable and lacking in dignity. In that case a contest of wills would result in a victory for the minority.” “Yes, I see that,” said Clif. “But suppose we just willed you to――let me see――to drop your hat and pick it up on the way to the door?” “The odds would be shorter,” replied Mr. Cooper, smiling. “I frequently do drop my hat, or my stick, or my gloves. In that case the result would probably depend on how strong your wills were. You might win if only because I, not knowing what was up, wouldn’t actively oppose you. Care to try it?” “Heck,” said Tom, “you’d _know_, and of course we couldn’t do it!” “Yet I might,” responded the other soberly. “I’ve seen several cases where mental suggestion, for want of a better name, has seemingly done strange things. I’ll tell you of one, if you like.” “Yes, sir, please!” said Clif and Loring in chorus. Tom remained silent, but he looked as interested as the others. Perhaps Mr. Cooper had determined to overcome the slight antagonism still entertained by Tom, for all along he had seemed to address himself to Tom rather than to the others, and he continued to as he went on.