“THEY WENT SLOWLY UP THE RED-BRICK-PAVED SIDEWALK.”
“We’re not her silly sweetheart,” said Edred.
“No; but we heard her sing it, and he wasn’t here, so he couldn’t. There’s a sign-post. I wonder how far we’ve gone? I’m getting awfully tired.”
“You’d better have been pilgrims,” said Edred. “They never get tired, however many peas they have in their shoes.”
“I will now,” said Elfrida.
“You can’t,” said Edred; “it’s too late. We’re miles and miles from the stick shop.”
“Very well, I shan’t go on,” said Elfrida. “You got out of bed the wrong side this morning. I’ve tried to soft-answer you as hard as ever I could all the morning, and I’m not going to try any more, so there.”
“Don’t, then,” said Edred bitterly. “Go along home if you like. You’re only a girl.”
“I’d rather be only a girl than what you are,” said she.
“And what’s that, I should like to know?”