For answer the boy snatched the cane away. “What do you say?” he cried haughtily.
“I say you be off out of my glass-houses, Master Philip. I won’t have you here, and so I tell you.”
“How dare you talk to me like that?” cried the boy.
“Dare! I’ll dare a deal more than that, young fellow, if you are not off,” cried Mr Solomon, who was a great deal more excited and animated than I should have imagined possible. “I’m not going to have my fruit spoiled like this.”
“Your fruit indeed! I like that,” cried the boy. “Yours?”
“See what you’ve done to my Royal George!”
“See what I’ve done to your Royal George!”—mockingly.
“Now be off,” cried Mr Solomon. “Serves me right for not keeping the houses locked up. Now, then, you be off out.”
“Sha’n’t,” said the boy. “I shall stop here as long as I like. You touch me if you dare. If you do I’ll tell papa.”
“I shall tell him myself, my lad,” cried Mr Solomon.