"The maiden on the icy plank
Showed conduct quite surprising,
She went and got a cake of yeast—
Then fell instead of rising!"
I—I don't quite see it—the—the point, you know."
"Oh, that's just nonsense, you know—it's just silly. The fact is—yeast, you know, yeast, well, it makes things rise, and she fell——'
"Oh, she ate the yeast?" said Muriel with a charming smile. "Oh, that's very droll!" She almost laughed. "It didn't say that, you see. That's why I didn't understand. But she ate the yeast!"
"Yes, she ate the yeast," said J. B. resignedly. "One can't quite explain a thing like that somehow. It's only meant to be silly."
"Most of your American jokes are like that, aren't they? I mean they have to be explained. At first I thought it was because I was slow—but you say such queer things—and one can't ever be certain whether you're in fun or earnest."