“Is Fellman your partner?”

“He is.”

“How long have you been associated together?”

There was a singular directness in Ike’s questions which hardly accorded with his position as a mere lad.

“How does it concern you?”

“Is he your friend or your enemy?”

“That is a strange question, even impertinent, I should say.”

“Answer me.”

“I beg your pardon, boy; you are saucy, I will not answer your question.”

“Suppose I give you a reason why you should answer me.”