Clara Hooks was blushing.

"Let the sparrer tell who killed Cock Robin," was Bob's enigmatical
reply.

"What's he talking about?" said Julius Zink.

"I dunno, and he don't either," replied Dick.

"He doesn't know that or anything else," said Sarah Ketchum.

It was not possible for Sarah to hear a dispute and not become an open
partisan.

"I know a lady when I see 'er," said Bob.

"You don't," said Dick, warmly. "You can't parse horse. I heard you
try at school once."

"I can curry him," said Bob.

"You said horse was an article."

"So he is, and a very useful harticle."

One of the girls nudged her neighbor, and in a loud whisper intimated
her opinion that Bob was getting the better of Dick. At this Dick grew
warmer and more boisterous, maintaining that the boys ought not to pay
Bob the stipulated price since they were so late in starting.