"Well, now, we don't want to be too aggressive; we don't want to go in with a chip on our shoulder." "Hickey, you're beginning to hedge!" Hickey indignantly denied the accusation, and a little quarrel arose between them, terminated by Wash, who broke in: "Shut up, Crazy--Hickey is dead right. We want to go in friendly-like, just as though we knew the Doctor would side with us at once--sort of take him into our confidence." "That's it," said Hickey; "we want to be good-natured at first, lay the matter before him calmly, then afterward we can be firm." "Rats!" said Crazy; "are we going to tell him, or not, that we represent the Dickinson and the Woodhull and that they have voted the extinction of 'sinkers'?" "Sure we are!" exclaimed Wash. "You don't think we are afraid, do you?" "Well, then, let's tell him," said Crazy. "Come on, if you're going to." They returned resolutely and again entered the dominion of the dreary lamp. "Say, fellows," Wash suddenly interjected, "are we going to say anything about 'scrag-birds'?" "Sure," said Crazy. "The deuce we are!" said Hickey. "Why not?" said Crazy, militantly. "Because we don't want to make fools of ourselves." The three withdrew again and threshed out the point. It was decided to concentrate on the "sinker." Crazy gave in because he said he was cold. "Well, now, it's all settled," said Hickey. "We make a direct demand for knocking out the 'sinker,' and we stand firm on that. Nothing else. Come on." "Come on." A third time they came to the terrible door. "I say," said Wash, suddenly, "we forgot. Who's to do the talking?" "Crazy, of course," said Hickey, looking hard at Simmons, "since that clapper episode, I'm not dropping in for the dessert!" "Sure, Crazy, you're just the one," Simmons agreed. "Hold up," said Crazy, whose fury suddenly cooled. "Let's talk that over." Again they retired for deliberation. "Now, see here, fellows," said Crazy, "let's be reasonable. We want this thing to go through, don't we?" "Who's hedging now?" said Hickey, with a laugh. "No one," retorted Crazy. "I'll talk up if you say. I'm not afraid, only I don't stand one, two, three with the Doctor and you know it. I've flunked every recitation in Bible this month. What we want is the strongest pull--and Wash is the one. Why, the old man would feed out of Wash's hand." Wash indignantly repelled the insinuation. Finally it was agreed that Crazy should state the facts, that Hickey should say, "Doctor, we feel strongly, very strongly, about this," and that Wash should then make the direct demand for the suspension for one month of the "sinker," and its future regulation to two appearances a week. "And now, no more backing and filling," said Hickey. "I'll lay the facts before him, all right," added Crazy, clenching his fists. "We'll stick together, and we stand firm," said Wash. "Now for it!"