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           "Whatthedevil’sthat?"

           "Well,it’ssomethingthat—that—there’salotofthem.You’renotone,andneitheramI,thoughIammorethanyouare."

           "Whoisone?Whatmakesyouone?"

           Amoryconsidered.

           "Why—why,Isupposethatthesignofitiswhenafellowslickshishairbackwithwater."

           "LikeCarstairs?"

           "Yes—sure.He’saslicker."

           Theyspenttwoeveningsgettinganexactdefinition.Theslickerwasgood-lookingorclean-looking;hehadbrains,socialbrains,thatis,andheusedallmeansonthebroadpathofhonestytogetahead,bepopular,admired,andneverintrouble.Hedressedwell,wasparticularlyneatinappearance,andderivedhisnamefromthefactthathishairwasinevitablywornshort,soakedinwaterortonic,partedinthemiddle,andslickedbackasthecurrentoffashiondictated.Theslickersofthatyearhadadoptedtortoise-shellspectaclesasbadgesoftheirslickerhood,andthismadethemsoeasytorecognizethatAmoryandRahillnevermissedone.Theslickerseemeddistributedthroughschool,alwaysalittlewiserandshrewderthanhiscontemporaries,managingsometeamorother,andkeepinghisclevernesscarefullyconcealed.

           Amoryfoundtheslickeramostvaluableclassificationuntilhisjunioryearincollege,whentheoutlinebecamesoblurredandindeterminatethatithadtobesubdividedmanytimes,andbecameonlyaquality.