churlish nickum because he ignored her
then; because he had no more consciousness
of her presence, or of Una's, or of the
June woman's, than if they had been rocks
-blank rocks--by the trail, as he flung
himself on his knees beside his father.

"Dad! Dad!" he cried, his face as gray-blue
with hurry as his baseball flannels.
"Oh-h! Dad, what have you been doing
to yourself--now?"

"The biter bitten--Treff! Joker
pinched!" came the answer in tones
almost jocular, for the love in that boyish
voice was a cordial. "Well! I guess
I haven't got my death-blow now you've
come. And--and the murder is out,
boy: these little girls know all-11: who
you are--who I am!"

Then, indeed, Jack at a Pinch raised
his head and looked straight across into
the blue eyes of Pemrose Lorry.

"You must have thought me an awful
'chuff', "he said.

"I'm sorry about the oars," was the
[[293]]

p292 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p293w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p294

v?