You see," he added, solemnly, "if they kept floppin' off they wouldn't keep flappin' on.

There's all the difference in the world between a flap and flop." He was trying to reconcile that difference when Ruth entered the shop.

He looked up at her absently.

"Mr.Winslow," she began again, "I--" His reproachful look made her pause and smile slightly in spite of herself.
"I'm sorry," she said.

"Well, then--Jed--I have something to tell you.