William, ignoring her, put his fingers to his lips and, still gazing belligerently at his enemy, emitted a deafening whistle. Miss Carter put her hands to her ears.
“William!” she said irritably.
William wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Beg pardon,” he said mechanically and without feeling, as he withdrew his head and prepared to retire.
“Oh, one minute, William. What are you doing just now?”
William inserted his untidy head in the window again.
“Me?” he said. “Nothin’. Jus’ nothin’.”
“Well, I wish you’d come and be an Ancient Briton just for the dress rehearsal—it won’t be long, but so many of them can’t come this afternoon, and it’s so difficult to arrange how they’re to stand with only three-quarters of them there. You needn’t be made up, but just put this skin on.”
She held up a small skin carelessly in her hand. William looked round the room with his sternest and most disapproving scowl.
“Have I gotter come in with all those boys all over the place an’ change with all those boys botherin’ me all the time so’s I don’t know wot I’m doin’ an’——”