"Sure, now?" Peg was growing really curious. What was this odd little fellow trying to tell her? He looked so tremendously in earnest about something What in the world was it?
Alaric answered her without daring to look at her.
He fixed his eye on his pointed shoe and said quaveringly:
"You know, meetin' a girl round the house for a whole month, as I've met you, has an awful effect on a fellow. AWFUL Really!"
"AWFUL?" cried Peg.
"Yes, indeed it has. It grows part of one's life, as it were. Not to see you running up and down those stairs: sittin' about all over the place: studyin' all your jolly books and everything—you know the thought bruises me—really it BRUISES."
Peg laughed heartily. Her good humour was coming back to her.
"Sure, ye'll get over it, Alaric," she said encouragingly.
"That's just it," he protested anxiously. "I'm afraid I WON'T get over it. Do you know, I'm quite ACHE-Y NOW. Indeed I am."
"Ache-y?" repeated Peg, growing more and more amused.