“I say, are you laughing at us?” demanded Michael.
“Well, you looked at us first,” said the fairer of the two girls.
In that moment Michael fell in love.
“Come away,” whispered Alan. “They’ll follow us if we don’t.”
“Do you think they’re at all decent?” asked Michael. “Because if you do, I vote we talk to them. I say, Alan, do let’s anyway, for a lark.”
“Supposing anyone we know saw us?” queried Alan.
“Well, we could say some thing,” Michael urged. He was on fire to prosecute this adventure and, lest Alan should still hold back, he took from his pocket a feverish bag of Satin Pralines and boldly offered them to the girl of his choice.
“I say, would you like some tuck?”
The girls giggled and sat closer together; but Michael still proffered the sweets and at last the girl whom he admired dipped her hand into the bag. As all the Satin Pralines were stuck together, she brought out half a dozen and was so much embarrassed that she dropped the bag, after which she giggled.
“It doesn’t matter a bit,” said Michael. “I can get some more. These are beastly squashed. I say, what’s your name?”