Page:The Rival Pitchers.djvu/194

182 "There you go again! there you go again!" cried Langridge fretfully, with a sudden change of manner peculiar to him. "Don't go to lecturing. I get enough of that from Moses and Pitchfork. Give us a rest. I'm all right. Have another cigarette."

"No," and Tom declined the proffered one.

"Oh, I forgot you don't smoke. That's right. It's bad for the heart. I don't take 'em only once in a while."

Tom tried to reason with him, but Langridge was not himself and answered pertly or else insulted Tom for his good offices.

"You ought to give up gambling, too," Tom said, starting on a new tack. They were nearing the college now.

"There you go again! there you go again!" exclaimed Langridge and he was almost crying, silly in his excitement.

He sat down on a stone along the road and lighted another cigarette.

"Now let's argue this thing out," he said. "I feel just like arguing, Parsons. Guess we'll call you 'dominie,' you're so fond of preaching. Let's argue."

Tom tried to urge him to come on. It was getting late and only by running could they reach college and report before the prescribed hour, nine o'clock. But Langridge was obstinate and would