He closed the book and put it in his pocket.
"No," he said, "no man can hurt me." Then turning to Ike he said quietly, "I always say my prayers. My mother started me twenty-five years ago, and I have never seen any reason to quit."
While his tone was gentle and his manner simple, there was almost a challenge in his eyes. The fair face of young Stanton flushed through the tan.
"You do your mother honour," he said, with quiet dignity.
"I say," said Ike slowly, "if you kin do it just as convenient, perhaps you'd say 'em out. Wouldn't do us no harm, eh, Kiddie?"
"No, I should be pleased."
"Thank you," said Shock. Then for a moment he stood looking first at Ike's grave face, and then at The Kid, out of whose blue eyes all the gay, reckless defiance had vanished.
"Don't imagine I think myself a bit better than you," said Shock hastily, voice and lip quivering.
"Oh, git out!" ejaculated Ike quickly. "That aint sense."
"But," continued Shock, "perhaps I have had a little better chance. Certainly I have had a good mother."