I leave that to Mr. Banneker's editorials. I'm after
the laugh that starts down here." He laid hand upon his rotund
waistcoat. "The belly-laugh."
"The anatomy of anti-melancholy," murmured Severance. "Valuable."
"You're right, it's valuable," declared its proponent. "It's money;
that's what it is. Watch 'em at the movies. When their bellies begin to
shake, the picture's got 'em."
"How would you produce this desirable effect?" asked Severance.
"No trouble to show goods. I'm dealing with gents, I know. This is all
under your shirt for the present, if you don't take up the scheme."
From a portfolio which he had set in a corner he produced a sheaf of
drawings. They depicted the adventures, mischievous, predatory, or
criminal, of a pair of young hopefuls whose physiognomies and postures
were genuinely ludicrous.
"Did you draw these?" asked Banneker in surprise, for the
draughtsmanship was expert.
"No. Hired a kid artist to do 'em. I furnished the idea."
"Oh, you furnished the idea, did you?" queried Edmonds. "And where did
you get it?"
With an ineffably satisfied air, Mr. Sheffer tapped his bullet head.
"You must be older than you look, then. Those figures of the kids are
redrawn from a last-century German humorous classic, 'Max und Moritz.
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