Ginger, imitating William’s swagger (for Ginger, despite almost daily conflicts with him, secretly admired William immensely), walked up to the front door and knocked with an imperious bravado, also copied from William. The haughty housemaid opened the door.
“G’d afternoon,” said Ginger with a courteous smile, “Scuse me, but will you kin’ly tell the lady what’s jus’ come in here wearin’ a black coat that I’ll give her one an’ six for it an’——”
Ginger also received a box on the ear that sent him rolling half way down the drive, and the door was slammed in his face. It was opened again immediately and the red angry face of the housemaid again glared out.
“Any more of it, you saucy little ’ounds,” she said, “an’ I’ll send for the police.”
Ginger rejoined the others nursing his ear and making what William thought was an altogether ridiculous fuss about it.
“She didn’t hit you half’s hard’s what she hit me,” said William.
“She did,” said the aggrieved Ginger, “she hit harder ... a jolly sight harder. She’d nachurally hit harder the second time. She’d be more in practice.”
“No, she wun’t,” argued William, “she’d be more tired the second time. She’d used up all her strength on me.”
“Well, anyway I saw yours an’ I felt mine an’ could tell that mine was harder. Well, gettem to look at our ears. I bet mine’s redder than what yours is.”
“P’raps it is,” said William, “it nachurally would be because of mine bein’ done first an’ havin’ time to get wore off. I bet mine’s redder now than what yours will be when yours had had the same time to get wore off in as what mine has ... an’ let me kin’ly tell you I saw yours an’ I felt mine an’ I know that mine was a jolly sight harder ’n yours.”