"Listen at him!" Bert said with a laugh, "practising already--Parker is
getting polite--to-morrow is his day to be affectionate to the widow,
Ophelia--"

"Which is she, Parker," Charley asked soberly, "a grass or natural?"

"Shut up, you blamed fools, they're liable to hear you," Parker growled
angrily. "Anyhow, it ain't my fault they come!"

"Parker oughtn't to kick," Chuck chimed in, "look at poor old
Skinny--he's got a steady job lovin' the other one!"

"Darned if I wouldn't rather love both of them at once," Charley
observed, "than to take another ride like that was to-day. I'm kind of
anxious to see what they look like," he continued.

"Well, don't go and get excited at the supper table and eat your pie
with a spoon!" Chuck laughed.

"Aw, hell," Charley retorted, "I guess I know how to act--"

"Old Heck's going to buy some finger-bowls for you to wash your hands
in," Bert said scornfully, "him and Parker--"

"Shut up, I told you, you darned idiots," Parker snapped. "They're out
on the front porch and can hear you!"

"Be careful about your cussin'--" Bert mimicked with a snicker.