“Thank you, Tanner,” I said.
“Oh, all right,” he cried, and he held out his hand and shook mine, brightening up the next moment, and looking as pleased as if he had just got a great trouble off his mind.
“You needn’t be in such a jolly hurry to forgive him,” said Smith in a remonstrant tone; “he has been a cheeky little beggar, and deserved all he got.”
“But it isn’t nice to be wigged, all the same,” said Barkins sharply.
“No, but it don’t matter if you deserved it. Now then, Gnat, tell us what Dishy said.”
“What about?” I asked innocently.
“What about? Why, your associating with Ching so much.”
“Oh, that!” I cried.
“Oh, that!” he said, mocking my way of speaking. “Why, what did you think I meant?”
“I don’t know.”