I wanted to come and find the professor, of course, and I like coming for the change; but it's principally that." "Principally _that_!" I said.

"I don't understand you, Jack." "Why, I mean about being laughed at! Everybody has always been laughing at me, because I grew so thin and long and weak-looking, and I got tired of it at last, and was precious glad to come out to New Guinea to stop till I had grown thicker.

For I said to myself, I don't s'pose the savage chaps will laugh at me, and if they do I can drop on 'em and they won't do it again." "It must have been unpleasant, Jack," I said.
"It's horrid, old fellow," he said confidentially; "and all the more because you are obliged to laugh at it all when you feel as if you'd like to double 'em up and jump on 'em." "Well, there, Jack; I give you my word I won't laugh at you again." "Will you ?" cried Jack, with his face beaming, and looking quite pleasant.

"Well, that is kind of you.

If the doctor wouldn't laugh either I should be as happy as the day's long." "I'll ask him not to," I said.
"Oh, no; don't do that!" he cried quickly then; "he'd leave off laughing at me just out of pity, and I'd rather he laughed at me than pitied me, you know.