'Why not ?' 'Ah!' replied his father.

'Why not ?' and with this remark, which he uttered in a low voice as though he were discussing some grave question with himself, he used the little finger--if any of his fingers can be said to have come under that denomination--of his right hand as a tobacco-stopper, and was silent again.
And so he sat for half an hour at least, although Dolly, in the most endearing of manners, hoped, a dozen times, that he was not angry with her.

So he sat for half an hour, quite motionless, and looking all the while like nothing so much as a great Dutch Pin or Skittle.

At the expiration of that period, he suddenly, and without the least notice, burst (to the great consternation of the young people) into a very loud and very short laugh; and repeating, 'Certainly, Joseph.

Oh yes! Why not ?' went out for a walk..