"Tell me about it, Donald."
No answer. He averted his face, and rubbed his dirty fists into his eyes.
"Tell me why you lied to Wathemah, Donald."
Still no answer.
"How could you hurt his feelings so?"
No answer.
Then Esther talked to him till he buried his face in his arms and sobbed. She probed down into his heart. At last she asked him what he thought he should do. Still silence. She waited. The clock ticked louder and louder in the ears of the child: "Say it! Say it! Say it!"
At last he spoke.
"I ought tae tell Wathemah I lied; but I dinna want tae tell him afore the lads."
"Ah!" she said, "but you said your untruthful words before them; and unless you are a coward, your apology ought to be before them."