“What! is it impossible?” asked Jones, giving Louis a shake.
“What business have you to question me?”
“Did you?” repeated Jones, with another shake.
“Fair questioning, Jones,” cried Reginald. “No coercion, if you please.”
“Hold him back, Mason, if you please. Norman, will you hold him back? Now, Louis, if you don't answer I'll give you a thrashing.”
“You and I are friends, Mortimer,” said Salisbury, jumping off the desk and coming close up to Reginald; “but I mean to have fair play in this matter. He shan't be hurt—but, if you interfere till they've done questioning him, I shall help them to hold you back.”
“Don't meddle with it, Salisbury,” said Hamilton; “it's nobody's affair.”
“Nobody's affair, indeed!” exclaimed Frank. “Here we've been making a cher ami, a rara avis, or something or other of this boy, because he professed to be something superior to us all—and now, when we find he has been telling tales of all of us, we are told it's nobody's affair. He's been obtaining credit upon false pretences. We're the strongest party, and we'll do what we please.”
Reginald restrained himself with a violent effort, and Jones proceeded.
“Now, sir, answer directly—is this impossible?”