Don was confused, for he had hoped his father or aunt would not notice this, and he halted a bit as he said:
“I think I’ll wear this coat to-day, father.”
“Why should you? The other coat looks better.”
“I know, but——”
“But what?”
“I—I—my other coat is—I can’t wear it to-day,” blundered the lad.
“Can’t wear it? Why not? What is the matter?”
“I—I’ve torn it,” declared Don, feeling his face burning.
“Torn it? That’s too bad! How did it happen?”
“I caught the sleeve on a nail,” fabricated the desperate lad, thus for the first time in his life telling-his father an outright falsehood.