βThen Skarloey began to laugh. βIβm the stick-in-the-mud after all,β he gurgled helplessly, βnot you!β I laughed too, I couldnβt help it, he looked so funny. We were laughing when the cleaners came; we were still laughing when they left. βPoor engines!β they said, tapping their foreheads; but we werenβt mad. Weβd learned sense, and weβve been firm friends ever since.β β














