Balked of his design to stroll beside Betty, Percy was forced to be content with Mollie, and she, with malice aforethought, talked at him in a way he could not understand, but which, the other girls overhearing, sent them into silent spasms of laughter.
"Don't you find it troublesome to carry a cane all the while?" Mollie asked him, sweetly ignorant.
"Oh, I don't have to carry it," he said quickly.
"Don't you? I thought on account of not being able to walk—"
"Why, Mollie—I can walk all right."
"Oh, I misunderstood you. You said twenty miles was too much."
"I meant for girls."
"Oh, then you carry the cane for dogs."
"No, indeed. I'm not afraid of dogs."
"He doesn't know she's 'spoofing' him—I believe that is the proper
English word; isn't it?" whispered Grace, who was with her brother.