He described the battle to Kate and Ann the next day, darkly ascribing
his defeat to a mysterious compound which Jem Hardy was believed to rub
into his arms; to a foolish error of judgment at the beginning of the
fray, and to the sun which shone persistently in his eyes all the time.
His audience received the explanations in chilly silence.
"And he said it was an accident he knocked you down," he concluded; "he
said he hoped you weren't hurt, and he gave me some toffee for you."
"What did you do with it?" demanded Miss Nugent.
"I knew you wouldn't have it," replied her brother, inconsequently, "and
there wasn't much of it."
His sister regarded him sharply.
"You don't mean to say you ate it?" she screamed.
"Why not?" demanded her brother. "I wanted comforting, I can tell you."
"I wonder you were not too--too proud," said Miss Nugent, bitterly.
"I'm never too proud to eat toffee," retorted Jack, simply.
He stalked off in dudgeon at the lack of sympathy displayed by his
audience, and being still in need of comforting sought it amid the
raspberry-canes.
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