Nick turned a haughty look upon the interrupter.
“Who’s doin’ this askin’; you or me?� he demanded coldly.
“All right! All right! Go ahead in yore own dumb way! You’ll learn!�
“I’m tryin’ to learn you birds!â€� Nick exclaimed. “I know how! Now look! You goes up to Norine an’—I mean you goes up to the lady an’ bows. Then you says: ‘Pardon me fer takin’ the liberty, ma’am, but mahvis dance?’â€�
“What? What was that last?�
“Mahvis dance! Didn’t you ever hear that, you iggernant bronco-busters? That’s what you say when you want to waltz—you say ‘mahvis dance, please’?â€�
“But what’s it mean?� Nat Raymond demanded.
“I don’t know what it means,� Nick answered. “But you gotta say it. All the tony gents do. ‘Mahvis dance?’ Like that.�
“What on earth can he mean?â€� Ethel asked in a whisper of the boys. “I never heard anything like it in my life! And will you look at Sing Lung! Honestly, I—â€�
“Sh-h-h!� Teddy warned, with a grin. “This is good! Listen! Maybe we’ll find out what he means later.�