"Excuse me, I—" said Hal, with an uncanny feeling that there was witchcraft somewhere.
"No, we won't. We want an apology."
"For what?" said Reg, seriously.
"For speaking ill of absent friends."
"Did we speak ill?"
"Yes, of those two new chums, who were—"
"Certainly," said Hil, smiling. "And I am glad we seemed ladylike and I hope you'll do us the justice to say we have got back to our ma's—or the equivalent."
"You two ladies were the new chums!" said Reg, not quite sure if he heard aright.
"Yes. How did we look?"