Just William’s Luck

ll a–call a mincing-machine, Ex-Ex–what you said,” said Douglas.

William ignored him. “Well, all the others pulled an’ pulled an’ pulled an’ couldn’t get it out.”

“You said that before,” said Douglas.

“The nex’ time you int’rupt–” said William threateningly, then, a note of pathos invading his voice, “You asked me to tell you this story, didn’t you?”

“We didn’t ask you to go on and on sayin’ the same thing over an’ over again,” said Douglas, adding, after a moment’s thought, “You might as well call a coal shovel Arthur as a sword.”

“The sword wasn’t called Arthur,” said William. “The man was called Arthur. The sword was called Excelsior.”