You ought to be
ashamed of yourself. Bring out some ice. Produce your jigger. Get busy.
Hand me the tools and I'll do this myself."
Then, while the other two looked on in abashed admiration, Mr. Pike
deftly squeezed the lemons and splashed in allopathic portions of the
crystal fluid and used ice most wastefully. After vigorous shaking and
patient straining he shot a seething stream of seltzer into each glass
and finally delivered to Popova a translucent drink that was very tall
and capped with foam.
"Hide that, Professor," he said. "In a few minutes you will speak
several new languages."
Popova sipped conservatively.
"Don't be afraid," urged Mr. Pike, encouragingly. "If the boy watched me
carefully, possibly he can duplicate the order."
The youth was more than willing, for he seldom received instruction.
With now and then a word of counsel or warning from the wise man of the
west in the corner, he cautiously assembled two other fizzes, while Mr.
Pike, in a most nonchalant and roundabout manner, sought information
concerning affairs of state, local politics, the Governor-General's
household and Princess Kalora. Popova told more than he had meant to
tell and more than he knew that he was telling.
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