Betty was running by his side at quite a brisk trot to keep up with him.
"I—I hope you knocked him down," she said.
"He said grandfather isn't our grandfather at all."
"Oh!—and you did give him a black eye Cywil dear?" asked Betty eagerly. Her "r's" had a way of rolling themselves into "w's" whenever she was excited.
They were at the wicket-gate now, and Cyril slackened his speed, and looked over his shoulder. No one was in sight.
"Oh, I will do!" he said boldly. "I told him no Bruce was afraid!"
"That's right," said Betty eagerly. "That's right Cywil. No Bruce is afraid. But you did knock him down, didn't you."
Cyril hesitated—then his trouble broke from him in a burst. "We fight to-night down at our coral islands at seven," he said.
"Oh my bwave Cywil!" exclaimed Betty admiringly. "Oh, I am so glad—oh, I am so very glad!"
But Cyril looked doleful, and was lagging behind his small eager sister.