“Indeed, he did,” said Phil, warmly. “I never tried to shoot him at all. I only took the gun from Susan, and I did not even raise it. If he hadn’t been such a coward he’d have seen that.”
“I wish I hadn’t licked him,” said Phœnix. “I didn’t think he’d cut up as rough as this.”
“Phil,” cried Chap, extending his right arm, as if he were addressing an audience, “if I were you I tell you what I’d do. I’d just go to this Welford and tell him that what Touron said was a lie from beginning to end——”
“But it wasn’t,” interrupted Phœnix.
“I’d tell him,” continued Chap, “that I hadn’t had the slightest idea of shooting him, for the stairs are so long I could easily have popped him before he got to the top if I had wanted to, and that I hadn’t anything to do with beating him, but that he deserved all he got, and that if my friend, Mr. Phœnix Poole, hadn’t thrashed him, I’d have done it myself. And if you don’t like to go and say all that, I’ll go and say it for you.”
“Now, Chap,” cried Helen, “don’t you be putting any such ideas into Phil’s head, and don’t you go near Mr. Welford yourself. You will only make matters worse.”
“And I am not going, either,” said Phil. “I should be sure to say something I ought not to. I think he has treated me outrageously!”
“It is the crudest thing I ever heard of,” said Helen. “He ought not to believe what the French boy said without hearing your side. But you are right in not going to see him now. It would only make a dreadful quarrel.”
“But I shall answer his letter,” said Phil, “and tell him what I think of it.”
“Please don’t,” said Helen, rising up and coming up to Phil,—“not while you are so angry. If Mr. Welford knew just how things were, he’d think very differently. But it won’t do any good to make him madder. Don’t one of you boys do a single thing till I have seen mother and told her all about it. She used to know Mr. Welford very well, and she’ll tell us what ought to be done. And now, if there isn’t anything I can do for you, it is time for me to go. Mother said Chap could stay with you if you really wanted him, and I don’t believe there will be any trouble about your not having things to eat. There’s always lots of things on a place like this, and Chap isn’t particular, and mother will send some pies, and anything else you don’t happen to have.”