Part 7 (1/2)
But the love was in abeyance on this particularat the Den, as the old , and Aleck felt that the place was rightly na denizen of the place, who, after staring hi eyes, suddenly opened upon hi?”
”Yes, uncle,” said the boy, meekly
”Who with?”
”Some of the Rockabie boys, uncle”
”Hah! And in the face of all that I have said and taught you about your being different by your birth and education froamuffin rout of Rockabie harbour! Cannot you run over there in your boat and do what business you have to carry out without being raceful, sir! A gentleman's education should teach him that his weapons are words properly applied, and not tooth and nail, blows and kicks”
”I never bit or kicked, uncle,” said Aleck, sullenly
”Of course not, sir; and don't retort upon me in that insolent way You know perfectly well that I was speaking ht you used your teeth and claws like a savage dog?”
”No, uncle”
”Then don't reply to me like that Of course I would know you would use your fists Look at your knuckles!” thundered the old man
Aleck looked at those parts of his person dised in three places, and the nail of his left thu,” said the old o over there, and you co seenacious untrustworthy boy”
”I'nacious, uncle, if they'd letthe scum of the place”
”I am, uncle, and I don't notice them,” pleaded the boy; ”it's they ill notice o into the place without theirme names”
”Contemptible! And pray, sir,” cried the old man, in harsh, sarcastic tones, ”what do they call you?”
”All sorts of things,” replied the boy, confusedly ”I can't recollect now Yes, I know; sometimes they shout 'Fox' or 'Foxy' after me”
”And pray why?”
”Because they say I've just come out of the Den”
”Rubbish”
”At other times it's 'Spider'”
”Spider?”