"I should think there was!" laughed Mr. Ryan, spilling his coffee in his mirth. "Rather beyond you, isn't it?" "Well, _some_ of it," said Tode, hesitatingly. "But it all means _something_, likely, and I'm learning it, so I'll have it on hand to find out about one of these days, when I find a lawyer or somebody who can explain it, you know." This last with a twinkle of the eye, and a certain almost noiseless chuckle, that said it was intended to hit. "You're learning it!" exclaimed Mr. Ryan, undisguised astonishment mingling with his amusement. "Yes, sir. Learn a figure a day. It's all marked off into figures, you know, sir." "Well, of all queer chaps, you're the queerest!" And Mr. Ryan went off into another laugh as Tode sped away to a new corner. By the time he was ready for a second cup of coffee, Mr. Ryan was also ready with more questions. "Well, sir, what's to-day's figure?" "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," repeated Tode, promptly and glibly. "Indeed! and what do you make out of that?" "It makes itself; and that's something that's going to be one of these days." "Oh, and what does the 'glory of the Lord' mean, Tode?" "_I_ don't know; expect _he_ does, though," answered Tode, simply and significantly. Mr. Ryan didn't seem inclined to continue that line of questioning. "Well," he said, presently, "let's turn to an easier chapter. What's to-morrow's figure?" "Don't know. I might look though, if you wanted to hear." And Tode drew his precious three leaves from his vest pocket. "Oh, you carry Habakkuk about with you, do you? Well, let's have the figure by all means, only pass me that bottle of wine first." But Tode's face paled and his limbs actually shook. "I can't do it," he said at last. "You can't! Why, what's up?" "Just look for yourself, sir. It's the figure 15." And he thrust the bit of leaf before the gay young lawyer, and pointed with his finger to the spot. Of all words that could have come before his eyes just then, it seemed strange indeed that these should be the ones: "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink!" "Pshaw!" said Mr. Ryan at last, with a little nervous laugh. "Don't be a goose, Tode. Take your paper away and pass me the wine." "I can't, sir," answered Tode, earnestly. "I promised him to-day, I did, that I was going to do it all just as fast as I found it out." "Promised who? What are you talking about?" "Promised the Lord Jesus Christ, sir. I told him this very day." "Fiddlesticks. You don't understand. This refers to drunkards." "It don't say so," answered Tode, simply. "Yes, it does. Don't it say, 'and makes him drunk?'" "It says and makes him drunk _also_," Tode said, with a sharp, searching look. Mr. Ryan laughed that short nervous laugh again.