The two started. Lawrence wheeled round, frowning. He subdued his first impulse, which was to take that atom and fling him over the railing.
Leander nodded amicably.
"How de do?" he inquired.
"I'm pretty well, thank ye," answered Lawrence.
The boy looked with a new and curious interest at his sister. "Was she in love?" he was asking himself. And he immediately put the question aloud:
"I say, sis, are you in love? Is that why you 'n' Rodney were huggin' so?"
"Hold your tongue," Lawrence promptly commanded.
"All right." Then, contemplatively, "I s'pose you 'n' sis are spoons, ain't you? That's what the new chambermaid 'n' the coachman are. He told me the other day that he 'n' she were spoons. They were huggin', too. And I asked him about it."
"I'll swear you asked him about it," responded Lawrence.
Then the young man made a diversion. He walked forward, and laid hold of Leander's shoulder.