Ridgwell really thought the Lion was one of the most amiable creatures he had ever met.
"If you do not mind," the Lion observed to Christine, "you might walk upon the other side of Ridgwell and not next to me."
"Oh, Lal, why?" asked Christine.
"Who asked Christine to call me Lal?" inquired the Lion, as he lifted his head up with an intensely comical air of self-importance.
"I did," said Ridgwell; "you told me always to call you Lal."
"Quite right," replied the Lion. "But do you always do exactly alike, you two?"
"Yes, always," said Ridgwell.
"Humph!" grunted the Lion. "Suppose there is only one apple and you both want it, what happens?"
"We exactly divide it," said Ridgwell.
"Mathematically correct," said the Lion. "Good."