“You don’t call that terrible, do you?” said Pee-wee. “They can imitate any kind of an animal.”
“Can they imitate a calliope?” the girl asked.
“Is it an animal?” demanded Pee-wee.
“No, it’s a thing that makes a noise by steam; it’s about fifty noises at once.”
“If I heard it I could imitate it,” Pee-wee said.
“I think you do imitate one very well,” laughed the girl.
Pee-wee took this as a compliment. “How many different noises can you make?” he asked.
“I can only make one noise when you’re around,” said the girl, “and that is to laugh.”
“That means you can imitate a hyena,” said Pee-wee, “because they laugh; girls and hyenas are all the time laughing; they laugh for not any reason.”
“Oh, thank you,” said the girl.