David looked extremely sheepish under them.
Then suddenly he put his head down on his knees and shook with laughter.

The absurdity of it all--of their preparations, of his own terrors, of the disturbance they had made, all to end in this flat and futile over-sleeping, seized upon him so that he could not control himself.

He laughed till he cried, while Louie hit and abused him and cried too.

But her crying had a different note, and at last he looked up at her, sobered.
'Howd your tongue!--an doan't keep bully-raggin like 'at! What's t' matter wi yo ?' For answer, she rolled over on the rock and lay on her face, howling with pain.

David sprang up and bent over her.
'What _iver's_ t' matter wi yo, Louie ?' But she kept him off like a wild cat, and he could make nothing of her till her passion had spent itself and she was quiet again, from sheer exhaustion.
Then David, who had been standing near, shivering, with his hands in his pockets, tried again.
'Now, Louie, do coom home,' he said appealingly.