At this moment Toby struck a chord on the piano, and Tommy burst out laughing, so, with ready wit, Mrs. Belswin made this interruption serve as an excuse to break off the conversation.
"The young people seem to be merry," she said to Mrs. Valpy, and rising to her feet, "I must go over and see what the joke is about."
Mrs. Valpy nodded sleepily, feeling somewhat drowsy after her dinner, so Mrs. Belswin, seeing she did not mind being left to her own devices, walked across to the piano and interrupted the two lovers, for which interruption, however, they did not feel profoundly grateful.
"Won't you sing something?" asked the companion, addressing Toby, "or you, Miss Valpy?"
"Oh, my songs are too much of the orthodox drawing-room' type," replied Miss Valpy, disparagingly. "Now Toby is original in his ditties. Come, let's have a little chin-music, Toby!"
"Wherever do you learn such slang?" said Mrs. Belswin, with a smile.
"Toby."
"I! Oh, how can you? I speak the Queen's English."
"Do you really?" said Tommy, laughing. "Well, I at present speak the President's American, so go right along, stranger, and look slippy with the barrel organ."
"If your mother hears you," remonstrated Mrs. Belswin, "she will----"