"She has been called 'a summer girl,'" he said, "and I want to see how she likes her portrait. This lay is named: 'The Idle of the Summer Girl.'"
"Your writing?" said Rose.
"If you admire it, yes."
"Dear me, child," said Mrs. Kindred, "do they waste your time out there writing poetry?"
"They don't waste any of my time they get hold of, you'd better believe," said Magnus. "I should forget what time means if I didn't filch a little for my own use, now and then. This is: 'The Idle of the Summer Girl. By Two Who Idled With Her,' Cadet Rig being the other party. All the weak lines are his. There's another touching ditty on the same theme, much sung in camp at the time of full moon, but it takes two to do it justice, as you can judge from a specimen verse."
Magnus twanged the banjo lugubriously, and began his song, changing voice for the supposed two singers, and giving the words of comment in his own:
1st Cadet: "O the Summer Girl has come to town."
2d Cadet: "Alas, my heart!"
1st Cadet: "In a sky-scraper hat, and a trail—ing gown."
2d Cadet: "Alas, my heart!"
3d Cadet: "Steady on that, you haven't got any."
At least four voices cried:
"Go on! Go on!"
"Can't," said Magnus; "it exhausts my feelings. Too spoony."