“But what did you do?” I asked.
“Well, we studied the situation,” said Chum, who is becoming thirsty for knowledge in these latter days. “And we got acquainted with some very pleasant people, who told us good stories, and took us out riding and lent us books.”
“Yes,” said the Madame, “in one of our rides we went up to the camp.”
“Eh!”
“And heard how you spent a whole day there doing nothing but playing billiards with the officers. Do you call that being industrious?”
“Well,” I began.
“No, it is not well at all; at any rate you might have told me, and not made believe you only saw the camp by passing through. And we heard all about that hop in Ouray. You forgot that, too, didn’t you? The people were greatly surprised to learn you were not a gay young bachelor. It was three o’clock in the morning before you went home.”
“Oh, Oh-h!” groans Chum.
“’Pon honor, it wasn’t,” I protest. “It was only two.”
“Only two! Well, the next time you go to Ouray I’m going with you.”