“None of your imperence, I can tell you, my beauty!” said he. “I ain’t a-going to stand it—straight. Come, stir yourself.”
“It is not necessary,” said the head master, “for you to come with us. I give my word that we shall be at the police court immediately. But I wish to avoid the public scandal of one of my boys going through the streets in charge.”
“I ain’t a-going to let him out of my sight,” said the ruffled constable. “I know his style.”
Tempest smiled provokingly.
“I’d sooner walk, sir,” said he. “If the policeman holds me on one side and Mr Jarman on the other—”
“Silence, sir,” said the doctor sternly, while Mr Jarman raised his brows deprecatingly.
“Am I to come too?” said I.
“Yes.”
“I should like Pridgin and some of the fellows to be there too, sir,” said Tempest. “They saw me just before and just after the explosion.”
“It does not seem necessary to have more boys,” said Mr Jarman.