“I’d like to see him laugh at me,” said Peter, his vanity and conceit getting worse under the flattery of John. “But I saw you laugh,” he added, in a tone of displeasure.
“Did I?” said John.
“Yes, you did.”
“Then it was because the other boys laughed. You know a fellow can’t help laughing when he sees others.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Peter, only half satisfied.
“You didn’t make half as bad a mistake as Phineas Morton.”
“Phineas is an old fool.”
Probably Peter would not have said this, if he had known that the person of whom he was speaking was within hearing distance. He realized it, however, when he was suddenly tripped up, and found himself lying on his back, looking up in the face of Phineas.
“What did you do that for?” he demanded, angrily.
“To teach you better manners,” said Phineas, coolly. “When you feel like calling me names, you had better look round first to make sure that I am not near by.”