“Slowly, slowly, boys!” groaned the old pedagogue. “I feel as if all my joints were dislocated and half my bones were broken. It’s a wonder my head is not mashed flat, for that woman—that creature—sat on it! Then she called me an old fool!” “But,” said Dick, “you know you could spend your life at her feet, listening to the musical murmur of her heavenly voice.” “Her voice sounds like tearing a rag!” sneered Zenas. “She’s all skin and bones, and——” “Why, professor!” interrupted Brad. “I heard you assert that her form had the grace of a gazelle.” “Never—never said it! She’s a hatchet-faced old——” “Tut! tut!” chided Dick. “You know you admired her the first time you beheld her intellectual and classic countenance.” “Now stop it, boys! Did you see her glare at me with those fishy eyes?” “Awful!” exclaimed Dick. “You called her eyes limpid lakes.” “I deny it! I deny it! And she has false teeth, for I heard her mumble that she lost them when she fell.” “You distinctly stated,” reminded Buckhart, “that her teeth were pearls beyond price.” “I think they cost about eleven dollars a set,” estimated Dick. “And her golden halo of hair came off in the shuffle,” said the Texan. “She’s as bald as a billiard ball.” “Say no more!” entreated Zenas. “Get me to my room and spread me on the bed. Boys, if you ever tell of this—if you ever even mention it again—I’ll send you both back home!” By this time they had reached their rooms, and they helped the old fellow to the bed, on which he slowly sank, groaning as if in great distress. “Bring me my medicine, Richard,” he entreated. “I must have a small dose. You will find it in my medicine case. The leather-covered flask, Richard. That’s it. Never mind pouring any. I’ll take it directly from the flask. It is a harmless tonic, and I need it greatly just now.” He took a long pull at the leather-covered flask. After that he lay back and closed his eyes for a moment. Suddenly they popped open and he exclaimed: “To think that creature should call me an old fool!” “But you know pearls of wisdom drop from her sweet lips,” laughed Dick. “And she is a lofty-minded, angelic girl,” added Brad. “Get out of here, you two rascals!” cried the old man. “You’re laughing at me, you ungrateful scamps! Do you want to drive me crazy? Leave me to meditate on the frailty of human flesh.” The laughing lads retired to the adjoining room. “Well, one good thing happened,” said Dick; “it cured him of his foolishness over Sarah Ann.” “He sure is well cured,” agreed Buckhart. There came a sharp knock on the door. Before they could open it, it was flung wide by the giant Nubian, and Aziz Achmet again entered the room. “This is too much!” exclaimed Dick. “I’ll call the proprietor and see if we are to be annoyed by this man in this outrageous manner.”