“Hi say, Buck’art,” he said, “what is the longest word hin the Henglish language. Give hit up?” “I reckon I’ll have to, William,” said the Texan. “What is the longest word?” He looked at Billy in such a way that the Cockney youth was confused and stammered: “Hit—hit’s giggles. Hif you don’t believe hit, just spell between the first hand last letters hand you’ll find a mile. ’Ow his that?” The Texan looked Billy over. “Whatever kind of loco-weed have you been eating?” he exclaimed. “You’re plumb loony for sure.” Then he strode away, leaving Billy scratching his head and looking extremely puzzled and bewildered. Ted Smart was enjoying this hugely. He approached Billy and spoke to him. Bradley glared at Ted. “What is the matter with your blawsted blooming old joke?” he ripped out hotly. “Eh?” said Ted, in apparent surprise. “What’s the matter? Why?” “Hi ’ave tried hit hon two fellows, hand hit didn’t go hat hall.” “What fellows?” “Jolliby and Buckhart.” “No wonder it didn’t go!” said Ted. “Those chaps are too dense to see the point. Come on with me up to Merriwell’s room. Some of the fellows are going up there. Just you spring it there and see if you don’t make a big hit with it.” So Bradley was led away to Dick’s room, where some of the boys had gathered, it being a general gathering-place for the football-team. Singleton was there, lounging comfortably on a Morris chair. Merriwell was talking to Dare and Douglass. Buckhart and Jolliby had dropped in. “Give it to them right off the reel,” urged Ted, in a whisper to Billy. “Hi say, fellows,” said Bradley, “what his the longest word hin the Henglish language?” Jolliby and Buckhart looked at each other in disgust. “What it is, William?” grunted Singleton. “Give it up?” asked Bradley. “Sure thing. What’s the word?” “Hit—hit’s grins,” fluttered Bradley. “Hif you doubt hit, you’ll find there is a mile between the first and last letters. Hi can thrash hanybody who doesn’t see the point!” Then, as nobody laughed, he began to tear off his coat, truly fighting mad. “You hare a lot hof blawsted thick-’eaded Yankees!” he raged. “Hover hin hold Hengland——” “Dear! dear!” said Smart. “Don’t disgrace yourself, Sir William, by thrashing such dummies. It really takes the English to see the point of a joke. Now, when I get a good thing I always take it to you, for I know you will be so quick to catch on!” This appeased Bradley somewhat, but he returned: “Hi don’t believe they want to see hit! They never want to see hanything when Hi tell hit.” “It’s very shameful,” said Ted, winking at the others behind Billy’s back. “Any one should be able to see in a minute that there is a mile between the first and last letters of smiles.” Then, for the first time, the boys on which Billy had tried to spring the joke saw the point in it. Immediately they began to laugh, which disgusted the Cockney lad more than ever.