Page:The fighting scrub, (IA fightingscrub00barb).pdf/81

 Wattles's lower features is that, below the straight, slightly loose mouth, they just sort of faded right out of the picture!

"You might at least have worn your straw hat," said the boy severely a few minutes later. "That derby must be beastly hot."

"I don't find it so, Mister Loring," replied Wattles earnestly. "A straw always seems much warmer on the head than a bowl—I should say derby, sir."

"Just your silly British obstinacy," chuckled Loring. "They only discovered straw hats over there a few years ago; after you left, I guess; and I suppose your folks for thousands of years back wore bowler hats on every occasion, summer and winter, and you'd rather be shot than be seen in anything else. To my knowledge you've worn that straw I made you buy just once, and then you looked so miserable I was really sorry for you."

Wattles smiled respectfully. "Without doubt, sir, there's a great deal in heredity."

"And there's a great deal in red-headity, too, Wattles," laughed Loring. "Red-headity means stubbornness."

"Really, sir? I never heard the word. That is, begging your pardon, Mister Loring, I never happened—"

"You wouldn't," agreed the boy. "I just invented it. I guess those fellows are frightfully hot, Wattles. There are some compensations for my enforced in