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Sam sprang to his feet. He crossed the room to a window, through which he stared industriously.

“If you’d like to have the moral o’ that story,” Lon went on, “it’s that one human can’t buck all the rest. The odds are too big. What’s a ton to him ain’t a featherweight to the world. And applyin’ that moral to a case nearer home, I’d say you’d better make up your mind to go back to your crowd, and grin and bear it. And the more you grin, the less you’ll have to bear.”

“ssss1”

“I won’t do it.”

“Umph! Safety First! Ain’t that your motto?”

“It doesn’t apply here.”

“’Deed it does! Don’t let your notions get twisted.”

Sam continued to stare out of the window. “You’re asking too much, Lon. I can’t stand being a butt for a lot of fool jokes—I won’t stand it!”

“What’ll you do? Turn hermit?”

“Why—why, no.”

Lon resumed his work. There was a long pause before he spoke.

“Sam, you take my advice. You’ve been mopin’ around the place for two-three days. Get out and stretch your legs. Take a big tramp—a reg’lar hike. Wonderful what a lot of brain fog you can walk away from if you walk far enough.”