What was coming out of her mouth wasn't at all a nondescript laugh.

"Tom is praying the war will go on long enough for him to join the navy too," she said with an attempt at a laugh.

She made a soft noise that I realized was an attempt at a laugh.

I worked at a laugh, then, to take the sting out.

The figure on the gurney grunted, and made a sound that might have been an attempt at a laugh.

"The 'like a sister' thing has a double effect here," I added with an attempt at a laugh.

She made an attempt at a little laugh but still sounded close to tears.

Her attempt at a light laugh didn't quite make it.

"You're still a little drippy," he added with an attempt at a laugh.

"I thought it was a ghost," Michael said with a hollow attempt at a laugh.