He winked at Wilbur, who winked in return.
After refreshments the young gentlemen withdrew to smoke.

They withdrew unostentatiously, through a pergola, round a clump of shrubbery, and on to the stables, where Merle revealed a silver cigarette case, from which he bestowed cigarettes upon them.

They lighted these and talked as men of the world.
"Those chickens make me sick," said the little friend of Merle quite frankly.
"Me, too!" said Wilbur.
They talked of horses, Merle displaying his new thoroughbred in the box stall, and of dogs and motor boats; and Merle and the other boy spoke in a strange jargon of their prep school, where you could smoke if you had the consent of your parents.

Merle talked largely of his possessions and gay plans.
They were presently interrupted by the ladies, who, having withdrawn beyond the shrubbery clump to powder their noses from Florrie's gold vanity box, had discovered the smokers, and now threatened to tell if the gentlemen did not instantly return.

So Merle's little friend said wearily that they must go back to the women, he supposed.