MY pal Archie Wiles has some strange ideas about girls. In a way, perhaps, he's afraid of them' he doesn't like to admit they can ever be as good as a boy at anything, let alone better. And the girl he scoffs at most is Sue Sonning, the girl who lives next door to me.
Now Sue is a jolly nice girl. I wouldn't say she's outstandingly pretty, but on the other hand she's certainly nice-looking: I mean she has bright glimmering eyes and a cheery, sometimes cheeky, grin. Archie likes to pretend I'm putty in her hands, and she leads me by the ear and all that, which is, of course, utter bosh. I like Sue -- and I like Archie; and the fact that I like them both makes life a bit tricky at times, especially when Archie tries to freeze her out, and Sue, just for impish fun, teases him without his being able to see quite how.
Knowing Archie's opinions so well, I wasn't at all surprised the other spring afternoon when, as we were cycling home from school together, he suddenly said:
"Put a sprint on, Hugh; here comes Sue."
"So what?" I asked with a grin. "She won't hurt you -- not while I'm around."
"Ass!" he snorted. "I mean we don't want to listen to a lot of silly girlish jibber. If they had a sense of humour, they'd know how comic their chatter is. But girls have no sense of humour."
"Tosh," I said. "Sue, for one, certainly has."
"They can't take a joke against themselves," argued Archie. "And tomorrow I'll prove it."
"Why to-morrow?" I said.
"To-morrow," he reminded me with relish, "is the first of April."
We had just reached my house, and I had dismounted. What he said gave me a jump of alarm.
"No silly japes," I warned him.
"Silly? I just mean to prove that a girl can't take a joke," he said with a mysterious smile. "I'm going to make an April fool of Sue -- and I bet she won't laugh it off as a boy would."
"It may depend on the joke," I murmured, "and some of your jokes are pretty wild, Archie."
"Well, this isn't."
"No pocket torches that squirt red ink," I warned. "Sue's a pal of mine; and it isn't funny for a girl to get red ink over her face and hair." "Tshah!" said
"Tshah!" said Archie in scorn. "I know where to draw the line. And, anyway," he added with an anxious backward glance, "Here she comes. Promise you won't warn her."
"I don't know what to warn her about," I replied. "She doesn't need much warning against you, and I daresay she knows the date as well as you do, if it comes to that."
Archie winked.
"This will be a laugh. I've thought it out specially," he said, "and I'm going to make you eat your words."
Then he rode off at speed, so I waited for Sue, was waving to me. She wore her cheeriest grin that makes you want to grin back, and I leaned on my saddle, ready for a chat.
"Archie was in a hurry," she commented. "He must have seen me coming. Poor old Archie. His trouble is -- no sense of humour."
I had to laugh.
"I suppose you don't think boys have a sense of humour, Sue?"
"Oh, some boys have," she admitted. "But not Archie -- at least, not when the joke's against him, I''ve noticed -- as I'll prove to-morrow."
I laughed outright at that, and Sue looked surprised, and a little hurt.
"What's so funny?" she said, and then in her quick way added: "Oh -- you've remembered the date, eh? April the First, and I bet by that cheeky look of yours, Hugh, that you and Archie have been planning to make a fool of me. I wish you luck."
And she laughed; for Sue really has a sense of humour, whatever Archie may think. "And you're planning something to diddle us? Nothing like being warned," I said. "If the telephone bell rings first thing in the morning to tell me the school has been closed owing to measles -- I'll be taken in completely."
"Well, I bet Archie thinks of something like that -- which wouldn't deceive a kid," smiled Sue. "Honestly, I'm quite looking forward to it."
We chatted for a few more minutes, and then my aunt rapped the window as a signal that tea was ready. (I live with my Uncle George and Aunt Jane, because my people are abroad -- in the United States, touring with a theatrical company; so I have to be extra obedient and behaved.)
"Well, mustn't keep aunt waiting," I said to Sue. "I'll have to go in now."
Sue gave me a cheery wave as I walked off up the path. Then she called after me:
"Don't forget to-morrow!" As if I would!
I must admit I wondered what Archie would get up to, and also what little treat Sue had in store for him. It was more of a contest than a mere joke, for there was real rivalry spurring them on. As neither seemed to be planning anything much against me (although I didn't expect to be forewarned) I'd be in the position of a referee.
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