“No, no, don’t do that,” cried my companion in misfortune.

“You were wishing just now that you could make me laugh,” I said, by way of protest.

“Yes, old chap; but I didn’t know then what the consequences would be. It makes you look awful. I say, don’t do it again, or I shall grow horribly low-spirited. You did get knocked about. I say, though, do I look as bad as you do?”

“I believe you look ten times worse,” I said, trying to be cheerful and to do something in the way of retort.

“No, no; but seriously, do I look very bad?”

“Awfully!” I said.

“Oh, I say! Come, now, how do I look?”

“Well, there’s all the skin off your nose, where you scratched against the rock.”

“Ye–es,” he said, patting his nose tenderly; “but it’s scaling over nicely. I say, what a good job I didn’t break the bridge!”

“It was indeed,” I said.