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 here's—here's something that it seemed to me—to all of us that maybe would be something that you might sort of take into consideration if nothing better turned up, because, after all, that poor-farm isn't any place for a lady like you, and being on the water isn't anything at all if you're hitched up tight to the land and know you can't sink, which you couldn't possibly, Miss Comfort, because there wouldn't be enough water under you."

Laurie paused for breath and realized with confusion that he had made an extremely poor start. Miss Comfort looked bewilderedly from him to Mrs. Deane, to Polly, to Ned, and back to Laurie. "Sakes alive!" she gasped. "What in the world is he talking about?"

Mae's giggle came as a welcome diversion.

"Laurie," said Polly, "you'll have to start right at the beginning, you know." She turned to Miss Comfort. "He has a perfectly wonderful idea, Miss Comfort, and we're all just crazy about it. Now, Laurie."

The interlude had allowed the exponent of the wonderful idea not only to recover his breath but to rearrange his thoughts, and now he began