“Oh, I didn’t mean that, Severn,” cried the boy earnestly, as he now clung to his sympathiser’s hand. “I was afraid that you would laugh at me for being such a girl as to cry.”
“But tell me,” said Glyn.
“And I came in here to play with my mice, and it didn’t seem to hurt me so much then, because it kept me from thinking.”
“Come, what was it?” said Glyn. “You are keeping something back.”
The little fellow tried to speak, but it was some minutes before he could command his voice. Then out came the story of the brutal kick he had received, and of how hard he had struggled to conceal the pain.
“A beast!” exclaimed Glyn. And then half-unconsciously, as if to himself, “I shall be obliged to give him another licking after all.”
“Oh, do, please, Severn!” cried the little fellow joyously. “I’d give anything to be as big and strong as you, and able to stick up for myself; for, you see, I am such a little one.”
“Oh, you will get big and strong some day,” said Glyn. “Only wait.”
“Yes, I’ll wait,” said the boy; “but it will be a long time first, and old Slegge is going away at the end of this half, so that I can’t fight him myself. But I say, you will give him another licking, please?”
“Well, we’ll see,” said Glyn. “I dare say he’ll make me before I have done.”