If Joyce had been awake, Mary would have begun a long conversation about Phil Tremont.

Instead, she began recalling to herself the last time she had seen him.

It was three years ago, down by the beehives, and she had had no idea he was going away until he came to the Wigwam to bid them all good-by.

And Joyce and Lloyd were away, so he had left a message for them with her.

She thought it queer then, and she had wondered many times since why his farewell to the girls should have been a message about the old gambling god, Alaka.
She remembered every word of it, even the tones of his voice as he said: "Try to remember just these words, please, Mary.