"Well, anyhow," said Turkey to himself, recapitulating, "I've got six, provided they don't all back out. Let me see. I can make the Kid take three,--that's nine,--and Snookers will have to take three,--that's twelve,--and, hang it! Butcher and Egghead have got to take two each--that would make sixteen. The other eight I can fill up with some harmless freaks: some will snap at anything." That night at the supper-table Turkey had to face the music. "You're a nice one, you are," said Hickey, starting in immediately, "you arch deceiver. You are a fine friend; I have my opinion of you. 'Handsome girl,' 'a wonder,' 'fine talker,' 'a screamer'--that's the sort of game you try on your friends, is it? Who is she? Oh--ah, yes, a _distant_ relative of the Beauty." "What's up now?" said the Kid, editor of the "Lawrence," and partner of Turkey's secrets, joys, and debts. "Hasn't he tried to deceive you yet?" continued Hickey, with an accusing look at Turkey. "No? That's a wonder! What do you think of a fellow who tries to pass off on his friends such a girl as the Beauty's sister?" "No!" said Butcher Stevens. "What!" exclaimed Macnooder, laying down his knife with a thud. "Beauty's sister," said the Egghead, gaping with astonishment. "Well, why not?" said Turkey, defiantly. "Listen to that!" continued Hickey. "The brazenness of it!" The four graduates of the Dickinson, after a moment of stupefied examination of Hickey and Reiter, suddenly burst into roars of laughter that produced a craning of necks and a storm of inquiries from the adjoining tables. When the hilarity had been somewhat checked, Hickey returned to the persecution of the blushing Turkey. "Bet you three to one she's a mass of freckles," he said. "Bet you even she wears glasses; bet you one to three she's cross-eyed; bet you four to one she won't open her mouth." "Hang you, Hickey!" said Turkey, flushing, "I won't have her talked about so." "Did you take any dances?" said the Kid to Hickey. "Me?" exclaimed the latter, in great dudgeon. "Me! Well, I guess not! I wouldn't touch any of that tribe with a ten-foot pole." "Look here, you fellows have got to shut up," said Turkey, forced at last into a virtuous attitude by the exigency of the situation. "I promised the Beauty I'd fill his sister's card for him, and I'm going to do it. The girl can't help her looks. You talk like a lot of cads. What you fellows ought to do is to join in and give her a treat. The girl is probably from the backwoods, and this ought to be made the time of her life." "Turkey," said the malicious Hickey, "how many dances have you eagerly appropriated?" Turkey stopped point-blank, greeted by derisive jeers. "Oho!" "That's it, is it?" "Fake!" "Humbug!" "Not at all," said Turkey, indignantly. "What do you think I am?"