“Here, just say that again, will you?” cried Dexter sharply.
“I repeat that Dexter here began to annoy and tease Edgar.”
“Oh!” ejaculated Dexter.
“And at last, after the poor boy had tried everything to keep his companion from the line of conduct he had pursued, he resolved to go down and sit by the river, leaving Dexter to amuse himself. But unfortunately the spirit of mischief was so strong in him that this boy took out a dahlia-stick with a sharp point—Sir James showed it to me—and then, after stabbing at him for some time, began to use his fists, and beat Edgar in the most cruel way.”
“Oh, my!” ejaculated Dexter; and then, giving his right foot a stamp, “Well, of all the— Oh, my! what a whopper!”
The low slangy expression was brought out with such an air of indignant protest that Helen was unable to keep her countenance, and she looked away, while the doctor, who was quite as much impressed, frowned more severely to hide the mirth aroused by the boy’s ejaculations, and turned to him sharply—
“What do you mean by that, sir!” he cried.
“Mean?” cried Dexter indignantly, and without a shade of fear in his frank bold eyes; “why there isn’t a bit of it true. He didn’t like me because I came from over yonder, and he wouldn’t speak to me. Then he kept on hitting me, and I wouldn’t hit him back, because I thought it would make her cross; but, last of all, he hurt me so that I forgot all about everything, and then we did fight, and I whipped—and that’s all.”
“Oh, that’s all, is it, sir!” said the doctor, who was angry and yet amused.
“Yes, that’s all,” said Dexter; “only I’ve got a bite on my arm, and one on my neck, and one on my shoulder. They didn’t bleed, though, only pinched and hurt. I only hit him one good un, and that was on the nose, and it made it bleed.”