"
Frick slid down to the floor and laid his mouth alongside the crack, with
the feeling that his message would be more impressive delivered in that
way, since he was not to be admitted to the apartment to give it in due
form.
"The boys want you, Joel; they're all waiting for us outside. Hurry up."
Having delivered it, Frick got up to his feet in a hurry, confident that
the door would be flung wide, to let Joel come hopping out in delight, and
not choosing to be run over in the process.
"Can't go," said Joel, in muffled accents, on the other side of the door.
"What?" roared Frick, not believing his ears.
"Can't go," repeated Joel. "Go right away from this door."
"What did you say?" Frick slid to the floor again and beat his hands on the
polished surface. "Say, Joel, we want you to come. We're all waiting for
you, don't you understand?" He kept saying it over and over, under the
impression that if he only repeated it enough, the door would open.
"And I say I can't go," declared Joel, in a high, wrathful key. "If you
don't go away and let this door alone, I'll come out and pound you."
"We're going to the pond," said Frick, exactly as if responding to the most
cordial request to furnish the plan. "We've got Larry's boat, and Webb is
going to take his father's, and----"
"Ow--go away!" roared Joel, in an awful voice.
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