"Oh, I say, don't cry any more I Are you ill, Jack?"
"No! oh, no!"
"It's your poor back, isn't it, old fellow?"
When Theodore was in a tender humour, he always called Jack "old fellow."
"No, no; my back's all right. I am very silly. Mother's away, and—and you were away."
"Yes. I've been in the hayfield nearly all day. It was so jolly, Jack!"
"I know, I know," with a little gasping sob; "and I—I've been so—so lonely, and—and miserable."
"Didn't they look after you properly? Where was Jane?"
"Oh, Jane was very kind! Only, I missed you, Theo, and I thought of you and the other boys playing—"
"But you couldn't have played, you know, and—"