"Well," said I, "what about her?"
"Does she go with the lake or with the fish?"
"What do you mean?" I asked coldly, withdrawing my hand from his clasp.
"I mean, which of us gets the first chance to win her?" he said, blushing. "There's no use denying that we both have been bowled over by her; is there?"
I pondered for several moments.
"She is an extremely intelligent girl," I said, stalling.
"Yes, and then some."
After a few minutes' further thought, I said:
"Possibly I am in error, but at moments it has seemed to me that my marked attentions to Miss White are not wholly displeasing to her. I may be mistaken—"
"I think you are, Smith."