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Whatever we were in for, whether friendship or the other thing, a man could breathe here, and that was something to be thankful for. "We were caught in the woods and ran for it," said I, thinking in time to make my explanations; "it may have been a fool's errand, but it has brought us to a wise man's door. You know what the lad's trouble is, or you wouldn't be in this house, sir.
Some were seizing the bar to thrust it back when the heavy figure of McGary crushed into the crowd beside it. "By Job, I'll shoot the man that touches it!" he shouted, as he tore them away. But the sturdiest of them went again to it, and cursed him. And while they fought backward and forward, the lad's mother, Mrs. Ray, cried out to them to open in tones to rend their hearts. Where was Ray?
"Are you one of the professors?" The middle-aged man laughed painfully. "I am one of the students." David felt that he had inflicted a wound. "How many students are here?" he asked quickly. "About a thousand." The two walked side by side toward the college. "Have you matriculated?" inquired the lad's companion. There was that awful word again! "I don't know HOW to matriculate.
He longed to hear of the experience, and yet he hesitated to ask point-blank. His interest was so keen, however, that he could not restrain himself entirely, and he squirmed restively in his chair. The movement had the effect of recalling the man from his memories, and gazing at the lad's eager face, his own broke into a smile, as he said: "I suppose you'd like to know how it happened?"
"Not more than a hundred, sir," was the lad's reply. "Good!" replied Captain Marcus. "Do you feel equal to the task of rounding them up?" "Perfectly, sir," Frank made answer. "So be it, then. You may act at your own discretion; only see that you make a good, swift job of it." Frank and Jack saluted and hurried away.
The lad's father, who was one of the elderly men who had remained in camp, had accompanied him. Edgar told him that, in the first place, he wanted a good deal of water made hot. The chest contained a half-gallon bottle of carbolic acid, and searching among the smaller bottles Edgar found one containing caustic.
At the table-head Joseph still sat cool, self-contained, even amused. He realized the rashness of Gregory's attack upon one that might yet have been won over to their side; but he never doubted that a few passes would dispose of the lad's opposition, and he sought not to interfere. Then he saw Crispin advancing towards him slowly, his rapier naked in his hand, and he was forced to look to himself.
Hans arose, scratching his head, and looked down on the man he had been sitting on. The fellow looked up into the lad's face with a queer expression in his eyes. "Vot iss?" demanded Hans. "Go py the odders if you schoose! Py schimminy, dose shark haf one feast!" "Not on your life!" cried the prisoner. "I'm not anxious to get away.
For, know you this, Captain Flett, the lad's nothing but a murderer, a murderer in cold blood!" "Impossible!" ejaculated the skipper. "When heard you of the lad harming body or beast? But who is it that's murdered, bailie?" "Colin Lothian, the gaberlunzie," replied the magistrate. "Man, you astonish me," exclaimed Flett. "Poor auld Lothian! And when did the thing happen?"
But David stumbled on, noticing nothing. At the foot of the steep hill leading to the farm he stopped a moment, and leant over the gate. The little lad's cry was in his ears. Presently he leapt the gate impatiently, and ran up whistling. Supper was over, but Hannah ungraciously brought him out some cold bacon and bread. Louie hung about him while he ate, studying him with quick furtive eyes.
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