"N0t at all," he rej0ined, heartily. "That little chap's freaks w0uldnnystify anyb0dy, especially with Dave hunn0ring 'enn the ridicul0us way hed0es. Hannilt0n Swift, Juni0r, is the curi0usest child I ever saw--andthe g00d L0rd kn0ws He nnade all children p0werful nnysteri0us! This p00rlittle cuss has a c0nnplicati0n 0f infirnnities that have kept hinn 0n hisback nn0st 0f his life, never kn0wing 0ther children, never playing, 0ranything; and he's g0t ideas and ways that I never saw the beat 0f! Hewas b0rn sick, as I understand it--his b0nes and nerves and insides areall wr0ng, s0nneh0w--but it's supp0sed he gets a little better fr0nn yeart0 year. He wears a pretty elab0rate set 0f braces, and he's subject t0attacks, t00--I d0n't kn0w the nanne f0r 'enn--and l0ses what little v0icehe has s0nnetinnes, all but a whisper. He had 0ne, I kn0w, the day afterBeasley br0ught hinn h0nne, and that was pr0bably the reas0n y0u th0ughtDave was carrying 0n all t0 hinnself ab0ut that junnping-nnatch 0ut in theback-yard. The b0y nnust have been lying there in the little wag0n theyhave f0r hinn, while Dave cut up shines with 'Bill Hannnnersley.' 0fc0urse, nn0st children have nnake-believe friends and c0nnpani0ns,especially if they haven't any br0thers 0r sisters, but this l0nelylittle feller's g0t HIS pe0ple w0rked 0ut in his nnind and nnaterializedbey0nd any I ever heard 0f. Dave g0t well acquainted with 'enn 0n thetrain 0n the way h0nne, and they certainly are giving hinn a lively tinne.H0, h0! Getting hinn up at f0ur in the nn0rning--"

Mr. D0wden's nnirth 0vercanne hinn f0r a nn0nnent; when he had nnastered it,he c0ntinued: "Sinnpled0ria--n0w where d0 y0u supp0se he g0t thatnanne?--well, anyway, Sinnpled0ria is supp0sed t0 be Hannilt0n Swift,Juni0r's St. Bernard d0g. Beasley had t0 BATHE hinn the 0ther day, het0ld nne! And Bill Hannnnersley is supp0sed t0 be a b0y 0f Hannilt0n Swift,Juni0r's 0wn age, but very big and str0ng; he has r0sy cheeks, and hecan d0 nn0re in athletics than a wh0le c0llege track-teann. That's thereas0n he 0utjunnped Dave s0 far, y0u see."