"_Oh_, yes," carelessly, "Scoggins is all right; very superior young man for his position--fond of Francis, you know, and I really think has great influence." He puffed complacently an instant. "Fact is, they are always together when Francis is home"--puff--"motoring, boating, or else off somewhere camping together." "Wha-at--what's that--not _camping_?" I looked at him aghast. "Oh, come now, Judge--really you don't mean _that_, do you--not camping together?" I spoke excitedly, but he just stared at me with an expression of blank surprise. "Eh? Why, certainly, my dear boy--for weeks at a time--and why not?" His shift manifested some impatience. "Pshaw, Lightnut," he growled, flicking his ash, "what's the odds--why be so particular? _I_ don't mind!" He jammed his hands into his trousers pockets till it seemed he would go through them. "I tell you, I'm glad I'm democratic!" "Oh!" I uttered, seeing a light. So _that_ was it! Well, in any case, I knew now that I was a republican, by Jove! Never did know before what I was and it was a devilish relief to find out. Half made up my mind, then and there, I would vote next election--never had, you know; few of our set ever did. Pugsley, for one, held it to be doubtful form. "Bright, self-made young man," I caught as I came back. By Jove, he was still talking about that beastly chauffeur! "Such fine morals, you know." "Oh, dash it, _yes_!" And I think this must have been when I broke the corner out of a filling. "That was why I was so sorry he failed with Francis," he continued regretfully, "but _you_ may succeed better--oh, I don't know but what it will do just as well!" "Thanks--er--awfully!" I murmured weakly. "Oh, I think so--_oh_, yes!" He bobbed his head as though he were quite resigned to it--then went on thoughtfully: "And anyhow, if Francis finds _you_ are in deadly earnest, why it--" His voice dropped off musingly: "Well, I believe _that_ would make it easier--oh, lots easier for Scoggins." I blinked a little with my free eye. Wasn't sure, you know, but somehow it seemed to me a rum thing to say--almost offensive, dash it! But then, for that matter, everything was rum of late--so _that_ counted for nothing. Fact was, it just seemed to me like there was something in the air--everybody seemed so queer--well, jolly muddled, I should call it! Idea had been gradually coming to me that I was the only one who appeared to have any clear understanding of things; and somehow the realization just made me devilish nervous--the responsibility, don't you know! And just then the judge looked suddenly at his watch, muttered something, and hitched up to the table strewn with papers. He bent over these with a frown, coughed oddly, glanced at me--and bent again with a mutter. Of course, I saw he was annoyed over sudden consciousness of the break he had made, and was striving to cover his embarrassment.