“Beg pardon, Mr Jack, sir,” stammered the man.
“I know what you were going to say,” cried Jack angrily. “You were going to say that I was like a great girl. Now then—the truth. You were going to say that, were you not?”
“Well, sir?”
“Speak out, or I’ll never believe in you again, Ned.”
“Don’t say that, Mr Jack, sir. I didn’t mean to make you cross. I only spoke because I was so proud to see you picking up so, and getting to be such a man.”
“A man now!” cried Jack sharply. “You were going to say a great girl a little while ago.”
Edward was silent.
“Once more, will you speak out frankly?” cried Jack.
“Yes, sir, that was it, sir,” said Edward hastily. “Wish I’d held my tongue, but it would come.”
“Like a great girl, eh?”