"Well?" said Mr. Wriford, aroused, and laughed again in light-hearted content. "Well?" "Well," said Mr. Puddlebox, "thusly," and trolled forth very deeply into the darkness: "O all ye loonies of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; praise Him and magnify Him for ever." "Now you," said Mr. Puddlebox. Mr. Wriford protested with nervous laughter: "It's too ridiculous!" "It's wonderfully comforting," said Mr. Puddlebox; and Mr. Wriford laughed again and in a voice that contrasted very thinly with the volume of Mr. Puddlebox's gave forth as requested: "O all ye loonies of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; praise Him and magnify Him for ever." "Scarcely body enough," adjudged Mr. Puddlebox, "but that will come with appreciation of its value. Now one other, and this time touching that friend of yours whom I name Spook. We have starved him to his great undoing, for you have fed while he has hungered, and his bowels are already weakened upon you. We will now further discomfort him with praise. This time together--O all ye Spooks. Now, then." "It's absurd," said Mr. Wriford. "It's too ridiculous"; but in the midst of his laughter at it had a sudden return to Figure of Wriford who was the subject of it and cried out: "Oh, what shall I do? Oh, what shall I do?" "Why, there you go!" cried Mr. Puddlebox. "There's the necessity of it. Fight against him, boy. Let him not beat you, nor any such. Quick now--O all ye--" And Mr. Wriford groaned, then laughed in a nervous little spurt, then groaned again, then weakly quavered while Mr. Puddlebox strongly belled: "O all ye spooks of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; praise Him and magnify Him for ever." "Feel better?" questioned Mr. Puddlebox. In the darkness only some stifled sounds answered him. "Crying, loony?" Only those sounds. Mr. Puddlebox put out a large hand, felt for Mr. Wriford's hands and clasped it upon them. "Hold my hand, boy." Sleep came to them. CHAPTER VI FIGHTING IT: TELLING IT This was a large, fat, kindly and protective hand in whose comfort Mr. Wriford slept, beneath which he awoke, and whose aid he was often to enjoy in immediate days to come. Yet its influence over him was by no means always apparent. Increasing acquaintance with Mr. Puddlebox was needed for its development, and this had illustration in the manner of his first sleep by Mr. Puddlebox's side.