"Well, if you won't—you won't—that's all. I've done my share."
"That's right," chimed in some of his cronies, including Nick Johnson.
"It was an accident, anyhow," the latter added.
"An avoidable accident," put in Bruce quietly. "You are lucky it was no worse, Heller. Tom might have been seriously injured."
"A miss is as good as a mile," quoted someone. "Better give him a lift back, Sam. I'll walk."
"Will you ride in the car?" asked Sam, half eagerly, for he realized how popular Tom was, and he knew how thin was the ice on which he was skating. "Come on, there's lots of room."
"No—thank you," said Tom between his teeth, and it was an effort to add the last two words. "I can walk."
There was a little pause—an embarrassed silence, and then Nick said:
"Well, we might as well go on, Sam."
"Yes, I guess so. We can't do any good here. Come on, fellows."