“Shut up, Tubby!” said Dan angrily. “Don’t be an ass!”
“Me? Oh, I beg pardon, I’m sure,” said Tubby with simulated concern. “Loring seemed to be making a hard try for it, and I thought—”
Loring jumped up, reached across the desk and slapped Tubby’s face. It wasn’t exactly a love-pat, nor did it sound like one. In striving to get out of reach [Tubby went over backward in his chair] and lay, feet in the air, a much surprised, very angry and exceedingly eloquent youth. But Loring put a stop to his remarks.
[“Tubby went over backward in his chair.”]
“You’re a beastly little cad, Tubby,” flared Loring, “and for two cents I’d drop you out of the window. If you say anything like that to me again I’ll lick you till you can’t stand on your fat feet!”
He went to the door, turned and smiled deprecatingly at Dan.
“Good-night,” he said. “I’ll see you to-morrow. Sorry you’re hitched to such a silly ass. Come and see me.” He nodded to Hiltz and went out.
Tubby’s subsequent remarks weren’t fit for publication until Dan put an end to them.
“You deserved all you got, Tubby,” he said disgustedly. “If you can’t behave decently to my friends when they visit me you had better find another room.”