"Well," said Tommy, to Paul's intense horror, for he was listening, quaking, to every word of this conversation, which was held just outside his cupboard door.
"I dessay I could give a guess if I give my mind to it."
"Out with it, Ing, now, if you know; no tricks," said the station-master, who had apparently just turned to go away. "Excuse me, sir, but I've some matters in there to see after."
When he had gone, the Doctor said rather heatedly, "Come, you're keeping something from me, I will have it out of you. If I find you have deceived me, I'll write to the manager and get you sent about your business—you'd better tell me the truth."
"You see," said Tommy, very slowly, and reluctantly, "that young gent o' yourn was a gent."
"I tried my very best to render him so," said the Doctor stiffly, "here is the result—how did you discover he was one, pray?"
"'Cos he acted like a gent," said Tommy; "he took and give me a 'arf-suffering."
"Well, I'll give you another," said the Doctor, "if you can tell me where he is."
"Thankee, sir, don't you be afraid—you're a gent right enough, too, though you do 'appen to be a schoolmaster."