The young man shook his head. "I don't remember a thing. All I know is that I'm lying here and you two are apparently bent on strangling me. Can you tell me why?" "I can tell you why, but if you've got amnesia, I don't think I should. In fact, if you aren't faking, you'll never know why, believe me!" "Joe," said Pearl. "I think he's gone." "He can't be," said Joe positively. "But why?" "I'll tell you later," said Joe. He turned to Jimmy. "Come over here, son. I want to whisper in your ear." He handed Pearl the poker. "Clout him over the head if he makes a move," he directed. Then he leaned over and whispered in his son's ear. Jimmy listened, then he stared at the young man. He nodded. Joe whispered some more, and Jimmy nodded again, a look of importance spreading over his face. "Okay," said Joe. "Now you and Sally go and get dressed. I want to take you both over to the barn and we'll have a go at milking that cow." With expressions of delight, both children raced off. Joe turned to Pearl's mother. "How about those pancakes?" he asked. "I'm hungry, and I think our friend is, too. After what we have done to him, I think we owe him a breakfast, at least." He turned to the young man. "Feel able to get to your feet?" The young man felt of the top of his head gingerly. "I guess so. And I think I'm hungry, too, now that you mention it. Those pancakes sound kind of interesting." He got to his feet, looked uncertainly around at the wondering faces of Pearl's mother, father, and Pearl herself. He smiled. "I don't know what's been going on, but maybe after some of those pancakes, you'll explain." * * * * * Pearl looked at her husband. "After pancakes, you aren't the only one who'll want some explaining!" "That goes for me, too, Daughter," said Dad. "I can't say that I've ever experienced a morning quite like this in my life before. But one thing seems right, and I agree with Joe...." "Mother," interrupted Joe, "how about the pancakes?" He stepped over to his father-in-law and whispered in his ear. The older man started, looked at his wife, then grinned. "You're right, son. What she doesn't know, won't hurt her." "What I don't know, doesn't matter much," she returned, looking at him with a twinkle in her eye. Joe looked at her. "I guess it doesn't, at that," he said. Breakfast finished, Joe looked at their bewildered guest. "I can't tell you who you are, just at this moment," he began, "but when Dad gets the tractor out, we'll go down the road and pull your car out where it's stuck...." "My car?" "Yes. It's a Mercury, and your name ought to be on the ownership card fastened to the steering wheel. That'll be a start. Once you know your name and address, you can go on from there. Somehow, you have suffered amnesia. Maybe you had an accident. Anyway, you came rushing in here and caused a commotion, and in the scuffle, you knocked yourself out against the refrigerator."