“You never said anyone did!”
“Well, they did!” said Brumpton.
“Oh, that’s better! What did they say?”
“As soon as he spoke like that, a lot of the men began to hiss.”
“Hiss!” cried Jerry, contemptuously; “why, a goose on Clapham Common could do that!”
“And then,” continued Brumpton, “Wilkins began to blink over his music-stand, looking as red in the face as his uniform. ‘Who was that?’ he says—‘who was it that dared to make that noise?’”
“And then no one spoke,” sneered Jerry. “Hissed! I’d ha’ punched his head. Bandmaster, indeed!—I’d ha’ been the bandmaster’s master that time!”
“Wrong, Jerry Brigley!” cried Brumpton. “Someone did speak, others did not; but I’ll answer for everyone, I spoke out.”
“Bravo!” cried Jerry. “What did you say, sergeant?”
“I said it was a blackguardly, cowardly thing to say behind a man’s back.”