He made a little tentative movement with his thin, shaking hands.
He felt that Efferts was staring at him.
The mongrel crouching at his feet moved stealthily. He heard no sound from the animal's moving. He knew it had gotten to its feet. He saw it standing there between where he sat and where Efferts sat.
He felt his lips begin to quiver.
"I—am—going—to—"
He got the words into his head again through the menacing, waiting stillness.
He muttered something.
Old man Efferts leaned forward, his hand behind his ear.
In a sudden blinding flash of knowledge he realized that old man Efferts was deaf.
He felt his mouth twisting around his face.