"Winkie," said Coppy enthusiastically, shaking the small hand,
"you're the best of good fellows. Look here, you can't understand
all these things. One of these days--hang it, how can I make you
see it!--I'm going to marry Miss Allardyce, and then she'll be
Mrs. Coppy, as you say. If your young mind is so scandalized at
the idea of kissing big girls, go and tell your father."

"What will happen?" said Wee Willie Winkie, who firmly believed
that his father was omnipotent.

"I shall get into trouble," said Coppy, playing his trump card
with an appealing look at the holder of the ace.

"Ven I won't," said Wee Willie Winkie briefly. "But my faver says
it's un-man-ly to be always kissing, and I didn't fink YOU'D do
vat, Coppy."

"I'm not always kissing, old chap. It's only now and then, and
when you're bigger you'll do it too. Your father meant it's not
good for little boys."

"Ah!" said Wee Willie Winkie, now fully enlightened. "It's like ve
sputter-brush?"

"Exactly," said Coppy gravely.

"But I don't fink I'll ever want to kiss big girls, nor no one,
'cept my muvver. And I MUST do vat, you know."

There was a long pause, broken by Wee Willie Winkie.