"I wanted to keep it for a secret," he replied. "I wanted to—to—"
"What?" thundered Captain Desart.
"To buy something at the toy-shop with it," sobbed Carrots.
Captain Desart sat down and looked at Mott for sympathy.
"Upon my soul," he said, "one could hardly believe it. A child that one would think scarcely knew the value of money! Where can he have learnt such cunning; you say you are sure he was told of nurse's having lost a half-sovereign?"
"Oh, yes," said Mott; "he confesses to that much himself."
"Floss told me," said Carrots.
"Then how can you pretend you didn't know this was nurse's—taking it out of her drawer, too," said his father.
"I don't know. I didn't take it out of her drawer; it was 'aside Floss's doll," said Carrots.
"He's trying to equivocate," said his father. Then he turned to the child again, looking more determined than ever.