“Well, I’m not going to touch them, if that’s what you mean,” answered Alf. “Go ahead and I’ll follow.”
Dan and Gerald arose and sauntered toward the door, the Broadwood boys observing them uneasily, although defiantly. Alf took up the three empty glasses and started toward the counter. To reach it he had to pass the table occupied by the Broadwood fellows, and as he did so he stumbled, fell against the table and sent the college ices to the tiled floor where the cups broke and their contents splashed about for yards. One of the boys saved the table from going over and both jumped angrily to their feet.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Sorry,” answered Alf indifferently, “but you ought to keep your feet out of the way.”
“Our feet weren’t in your way! You did it on purpose!”
“How absurd,” said Alf haughtily, as the clerk hurried up with towels. “As though I would intentionally upset the table. I have more respect for cups than you have.”
He sauntered over to the counter, set his glasses down and joined Dan and Gerald at the door. The Broadwood boys were excitedly explaining to the proprietor who had followed his clerk to the scene. Dan and Gerald and Alf slipped quietly out of the door, trying hard to keep sober countenances. But once out of sight of the window they hugged each other ecstatically and laughed to their heart’s content.
“They’ll have to pay for damages,” gurgled Alf, “and I’ll bet they haven’t got fifty cents between them!”
“Maybe Wallace will get after us for it,” said Dan.