“What for?”
“What for? Set his monkey up and make him come at me. I should just like it. I have licked chaps as big as he is before now—our chaps, and one of the Noughty-fourths who was always bragging about and crowing over me. I don’t mind telling you now, I was a bit afraid of him till one day when he gave me one on the nose and made it bleed. That made me so savage I forgot all about his being big and stronger, and I went in at him hot and strong, and the next thing I knew was Corporal Grady was patting me on the back, and there was quite a crowd of our chaps standing laughing, and the corporal says, ‘Bedad, Punchard, boy, ye licked him foine! Yes, foine,’ he said, just like that. ‘Now, go and wash your face, and be proud of it,’ just like that. And then I remember—”
“Yes, but remember that another time,” said Pen quietly. “You are talking too much,” And he laid his hand on the boy’s forehead again.
“Oh, but I just want to tell you this.”
“Tell me to-morrow, Punch. You are growing excited and feverish.”
“How do you know? You ain’t a doctor.”
“No; but I know that your forehead was cold and wet a few minutes ago, and that it is hot and burning now.”
“Well, that only means that it’s getting dry.”
“No; it means doing yourself harm when you want to get well.”
“Well, I must talk,” pleaded the boy.