smoke above their heads that broke into skirls as various
individuals left one group to join another. Through this vocal mob scene
James went veering from left to right to avoid the groupings. He stood
with polite insolence directly in front of two men sitting on the stairs
until they made room for his passage--still talking as he went between
them. In his room, three were sitting on the bed and the chair holding
glasses and, of course, smoking like the rest. James dropped his
overnight bag on a low stand and headed for his bathroom. One of the men
caught sight of him and said, "Hey kid, scram!"

James looked at the man coldly. "You happen to be using my bedroom. You
should be asking my permission to do so, or perhaps apologizing for not
having asked me before you moved in. I have no intention of leaving."

"Get the likes of him!"

"Wait a moment, Pete. This is the Holden kid."

"The little genius, huh?"

James said, "I am no genius. I do happen to have an education that
provides me with the right to criticize your social behavior. I will
neither be insulted nor patronized."

"Listen to him, will you!"

James turned and with the supreme gesture of contempt, he left the door
open.

He wound his way through the place to Judge Carter's study and home
office, strode towards it with purpose and reached for the doorknob. A
voice halted him: "Hey kid, you can't go in there!"

Turning to face the new voice, James said calmly,

"You mean 'may not' which implies that I have asked your permission. Your
statement is incorrect as phrased and erroneous when corrected."

He turned the knob and entered. Judge Carter sat at his desk with two
men; their discussion ceased with the sound of the doorknob. The judge
looked up in annoyance. "Hello, James. You shouldn't have come in here.
We're busy. I'll let you know when I'm free."

"You'd better make time for me right now," said James angrily. "I'd like
to know what's going on here."

"This much I'll tell you quickly. We're planning a political campaign.
Now, please--"

"I know you're planning a political campaign," replied James. "But if
you're proposing to campaign on the platform of a reform in education,
I suggest that you educate your henchmen in the rudimentary elements of
polite speech and gentle behavior. I dislike being ordered out of my room
by usurpers who have the temerity to address me as 'hey kid'."

"Relax, James. I'll send them out later."

"I'd suggest t