From the fact that they laughed so uncontrollably, and that they did not deny his charge, Tom felt sure that he had been made the butt of a foul joke, and he resented it spunkily. This of course only made the situation more ridiculous, and the more Tom said, the harder Bob and Herbert laughed. At length, however, Bob quieted down sufficiently to remark:
“Tom, listen to me. You’re the biggest fool I ever see.”
“Yes, you think you’ve made a fool of me, don’t you, Bob Hunter? But you hain’t, for I got on to your game before I got any er that durned stuff into my mouth.”
“Oh, don’t you be so ignorant, Tom Flannery. The trouble is with you, you’re a chump, you don’t know nothin’ about livin’ at high toned places like this is.”
“No, nor I don’t want to nuther, Bob Hunter. Ef that stuff is what you call high toned livin’, why I don’t want no more of it in mine. I’ll——”
In the excitement of the conversation, Tom forgot to keep his hand housed up longer in his pocket, and now the tips of his fingers unconsciously found their way close to his nose again.
This was what caused Tom to break off his sentence so abruptly. He didn’t say anything for a minute, but he looked a whole volume of epithets.
Herbert and Bob started in on another round of laughter that still further irritated Tom.
“I’m goin’,” said he, slinging his napkin savagely upon the table; “I won’t stand this business no more, Bob Hunter.”
“Sit down, Tom,” commanded Bob; “there’s more to come yet. You hain’t had no coffee yet, nor nuts and raisins.”