Alfred referred to an occurrence of the previous week, where Peter, who was by no means as strong mentally as physically, showed the most lamentable ignorance. He did not relish the allusion.
“You’d better not be impudent, Alfred Clinton,” he said, coloring, “or I may lick you.”
“Don’t trouble yourself,” said Alfred, indifferently. “You’d better save your strength, for you may need it.”
“Do you mean that I’ll need it to lick the master?”
“I hope you won’t make any trouble for him,” said Alfred.
“On his account?”
“No; I looked at him carefully the other day, and I made up my mind about him.”
“Did you?” said Peter, sneeringly. “Will you oblige me by telling me what you think about him?”
“I think that you’ll find him a tougher customer to deal with than you think.”
Peter burst into derisive laughter.