“Did your father ever thrash you again?” asked Dick, looking at his big friend anxiously.
“No,” said Wyatt, turning away his head and beginning to whistle a march very softly and solemnly.
“What a pity! And so you told him a lie?” said Dick sadly.
“No!” thundered out Wyatt.
“Ah! you didn’t?” cried Dick, leaping up to lay his hand on Wyatt’s shoulder. “I am glad of that.”
“Thank ye, old man,” said Wyatt. “It was all a big mistake. He thought I had.”
“But why didn’t you tell him—why didn’t you explain?”
“Stupid, proud, young fool,” said Wyatt gruffly.
“What a pity!” said Dick. “But he soon knew, of course?”
“No,” said Wyatt slowly, “he never knew. He came out here to India soon after in command of his regiment, and the next thing we heard—”