"Not to your sister?"
"I only owned to one."
"Pat Carroll?" said the Captain; but giving the name merely as a hint to help the boy's memory.
But the boy was too sharp for him. "That's another of your traps, Captain Clayton. If she says Pat Carroll, I can say it was Tim Brady. A boy's word will be as good as a girl's, I suppose."
"A lie can never be as good as the truth, whether from a boy or a girl," said the Captain, endeavouring to look him through and through. The boy quavered beneath his gaze, and the Captain went on with his questioning. "I suppose we may take it for granted that Pat Carroll was there, and that you did see him?"
"You may take anything for granted."
"You would have to swear before a jury that Pat Carroll was there."
Then there was another pause, but at last, with a long sigh, the boy spoke out. "He was there, and I did see him." Then he burst into tears and threw himself down on the ground, and hid his face in his sister's lap.
"Dear Flory," said she. "My own brother! I knew that you would struggle to be a gentleman at last."
"It will all come right with him now," said the Captain. But the father frowned and shook his head. "How many were there with him?" asked the Captain, intent on the main business.