Having told this, he fetched his knee a resounding crack and then clung to his sides, as he doubled up with laughter. When he straightened up and looked around he was astonished to see a lot of blank faces, for no one save himself was laughing. Ted Smart had crammed his handkerchief into his mouth to keep from shouting. “I am afraid we don’t catch the point, Billy,” said Dick. “You will have to explain it again.” “What’s the matter, hanyhow?” exploded Bradley. “Hit’s dead heasy! You will see hit in a minute. Hi didn’t see hit at first. Why, think of it! Why, of course, cast hiron is the ’ardest kind hof soap!” “Not having seen any cast-iron soap,” said Singleton, “we will have to take your word for it.” Bradley was both disappointed and disgusted. “Hit’s mighty queer, don’t y’ ’now!” he growled, “that nobody sees the point when Hi spring a joke! Some’ow, Hi can’t see the point now, myself. Hi thought Hi could, but Hi ’ave forgotten just what hit was. Now Hi ’ave got another one, and hit his better than that.” Smart started to crawl behind the piano. “Give us the other one,” urged the boys and girls. “Well,” said Bill, “why should a thirsty man halways carry a watch? There you hare!” Again, after a little, they gave it up and urged him to explain why a thirsty man should carry a watch. “Why, don’t you hunderstand?” said Billy. “A watch ’as a well in hit.” Once more, being satisfied he had hit the nail on the head this time, the Cockney youth laughed loudly. In the midst of his laughter he stopped with his mouth wide open, suddenly realizing that no one else was laughing. From behind the piano came a sound like sobs of distress. “Say, what’s the matter with you now?” snapped Billy. “I don’t think I ever saw a well in a watch,” confessed Gardner. “Did Hi say a well?” gasped Billy. “That was a mistake; Hi meant a cistern. That’s hit! Don’t you see?—a cistern!” Then, when they failed to laugh, he gripped Tubbs by the shoulder and shook him. “Why don’t you laugh, you fat chump?” he shouted. “If you don’t laugh Hi will ’ave to ’it you.” “He! he!” said Obediah moanfully. Somehow this was more than they could stand, and suddenly the entire party burst into shrieks of laughter. Immediately a look of happiness and relief overspread Billy’s face, and in the midst of all this commotion and merriment he stood in the middle of the floor repeatedly slapping his knee and crying: “Hi knew you would see the point! Hi thought you couldn’t ’elp seeing the point! Hit’s hawful funny! Hit’s the funniest joke Hi hever ’eard!” Out from behind the piano rolled Smart, who lay on the floor, clinging to his sides and gasping for breath. From one side to another he rolled, and his merriment caused tears to fill his eyes. “You little wretch!” chuckled Dick, as he pounced on Ted. “This is some of your work.” “Kill me!” gasped Ted. “Put me out of my misery. Kill me and save my life!”