I heard Wag throw himself down on the table, and, looking at him, I saw that he had got both hands pressed over his mouth.
“May I ask what the joke is?” I said rather dryly (for it is surprising how touchy one can be over one's personal appearance, even at my time of life). He looked up for an instant at me, and then gasped and hid his face again. Slim went up to him and kicked him in the ribs.
“Where's your manners?” he said in a loud whisper. Wag rolled over and sat up, wiping his eyes.
“I'm very sorry,” he said. “I'm sure I don't know what I was laughing for.” Slim whistled. “Well,” said Wag, “what was I?”
“Him, of course, and you know perfectly well!”
“Oh, was I? Well, perhaps you'll tell me what there is to laugh at about him?” said Wag, rather basely, I thought; so, as Slim put his finger to his lip and looked unhappy, I interrupted.
“Get up a minute, Wag,” I said. “I want to see something.”
“What?” said he, jumping up at once.
“Stand back to back with Slim, if you don't mind. That's it. Dear me! I thought you were taller than that—you looked to me taller last night. My mistake, I dare say. All right, thanks.” But there they stood, gazing at each other with horror, and I felt I had been trifling with a most serious subject, so I laughed and said, “Don't disturb yourselves. I was only chaffing you, Wag, because you seemed to be doing something of the kind to me.”
Slim understood, and heaved a sigh of relief. Wag sat down on a book and looked reproachfully upon me. Neither said a word. I was very much ashamed, and begged their pardon as nicely as I knew how. Luckily Wag was soon convinced that I was not in earnest, and he recovered his spirits directly.