"But this will work," Toffee said brightly. "Now the problem, to put it succinctly, is for me to go to the country, but not to be noticed by Julie. Well, actually, that's the easiest thing in the world." "Oh?" Marc said. "If you imagine that Julie is likely to overlook a half-naked redhead...." "Now, look at it this way," Toffee interrupted, "if you wanted to hide yourself where would be the best place?" "Me," Hotstuff interjected, "I always go out and mix with the crowds when I'm on the dodge." "Exactly!" Toffee said. She looked on Hotstuff with new respect, then, glancing back to Marc, pointed across the street. "See that bus?" * * * * * Tilting his glasses, Marc followed the direction of her pointing finger. Diagonally across the street was parked a large yellow sight-seeing bus of a vintage so distant as to defy memory. At the front of the bus stood a tall, cadaverous looking individual in shirt sleeves, about whom was an atmosphere of listless resignation. Inside the bus, the seats were starkly uninhabited. "What we do," Toffee went on enthusiastically, "is hire that bus and fill it up with a lot of people. Then we drive out to the country, and when Julie sees this great gang knocking about the place she'll never pay any special attention to anyone in particular. She'll never notice me." "That's ridiculous," Marc said. "In the first place I doubt I'd ever be able to hire the bus privately." "From the looks of business," Hotstuff said, "you could probably have it for a song." "Even so," Marc said doggedly, "we are not a crowd. We are only two people, and I'm positive Julie is quite capable of picking a strange young lady out of a group of two." "I'd be very happy to accompany you," Hotstuff said. "In fact I insist on it, so's I can protect my investment." "There!" Toffee said. "We're forming a crowd already. All we need are about twenty more." "And where are we going to get them?" Marc asked serenely. "I could have a number of my business acquaintances and their--uh--molls--out here on the corner in a flash," Hotstuff offered obligingly. "I know a number of personalities who are quite hot to get out of town for various reasons." "Go get them!" Toffee said. "We'll hire the bus while you're gone." "Now, just a second...." Marc yelled, but Hotstuff had already scurried off down the street toward the corner poolhall. * * * * * The deal for the bus was concluded in almost the same instant that Marc approached the gangling individual on the sidewalk. "Sure, mister," the man said sadly. "Why not? A day in the country would suit me fine. You can have the bus and me for whatever you want to offer, and you can bring along all the friends you want."