"I don't know. I see no reason why not if he is a nice boy."
"But Jed isn't a nice boy. He's an artful, forward, presuming young jackanapes, and was awfully troublesome."
"I am sorry to hear it. Mrs. Fogson seems to think of him very much as you do."
"I should think she would. She and Fogson couldn't do anything with him."
"Mrs. Fogson says he isn't there now."
"No; he ran away after making a brutal assault on Fogson."
The man in drab felt an inclination to smile, but suppressed it.
"I don't know as I ought to have spoken against him," continued Percy with a cunning look of inquiry. "You may be after him."
The man in drab paused a moment, then assuming a look of mystery, said, "Can you keep a secret?"