“You sus-seemed to cuc-cuc-come out of the bub-business all right,” observed Spratt. “You don’t look any the w-w-worse for wear.”
“Thank you, thank you,” bubbled Tucker. “And you, Spratt, are looking perfectly divine this morning.”
“But I haven’t a cent to my nun-name,” said Jack quickly.
“My dear boy, you misunderstand me!” cried Tommy. “Can’t I pay a man a compliment without wanting to borrow money?”
“I sus-suppose you can,” answered Spratt, “but sus-somehow you nun-nun-never do.”
“Now that’s an insult!” snapped Tommy belligerently. “I challenge you to a duel. Let’s not lose a moment’s time. Let’s fight a duel right away.”
“You needn’t lose any time,” laughed Dick. “It only takes two seconds to fight a duel.”
Tucker collapsed on a chair.
“I was going to spring that myself,” he said dolefully. “It must be awfully stale.”
“It is,” said Dick. “I thought I was stealing a lap on you.”