and spat and struck. Suddenly he found
himself tingling all over, and pressing a burning forehead against the
cool glass, and digging his knuckles into the corner of the sash till
they ached. Then he went into the library, and lay down on father's big
leather couch, and thought and thought.

Papa Jack came home for lunch at noon, and mother told him. Bob heard
them in the hall.

"He says he didn't fight," said his mother, "and he says he didn't fall
down. He won't tell me, and I told him he must tell you. I don't know
why he doesn't want to tell; he isn't ashamed or very much frightened,
and he didn't cry after he came home."

Bob heard Papa Jack's footsteps cross the hall and come in upon the
hard-wood library floor, and then on the big rug by the library couch.
Papa Jack sat down beside him and put his big fingers around Bob's
little ones.

"Well, what about it, Son?"

Bob looked up and smiled. Always such a pleasant, warm feeling came over
him when Papa Jack came near him and talked to him.

"What about it, Son?"

But Bob could not reply. His eyes grew serious as they looked back into
his father's.

"What did this, Bob?" asked Papa Jack, gently touching the hazelnut
bruise with a finger.

"A boy," said Bob.

"What boy?" asked Papa Jack. "A big boy?"

Silence, and then a shake of the head.

"Did you strike him first?"

Again Bob shook his head.

"What did you do to him?"

Still another shake of the head.

"Do you mean he just came up and struck you without any provocation?"

"He laughed," said Bob.

"What else?"

"Spit on my new shoes," reddening.

Papa Jack drew his mustache down between his lip and teeth. "Hm! He did,
eh? What else?"

"Said 'Bob-tail, bob-cat,'"

Papa Jack looked puzzled.

"Said I was--Bob, bob-tail, bob-cat," explained Bob.

"Oh!" Papa Jack seemed to see light. "And then he struck you?"

A nod once more.

Mr. McAllister looked out the window and his fingers closed tightly
around Bob's. "When was this, Bob--before school?"

"Mm."

"And you came right home?"

A nod.

"Did you strike him back?"

Bob's eyes widened. "No."

Papa Jack's eyes widened also. "Why?"

"Because."

"Because what, Bob?"

"Because mama said not to fight."

"And you promised?"

Bob nodded again.

"I see." Papa Jack's eyes suddenly lighted with something Bob did not
understand, and he sat looking down at Bob for a long minute. "I see,"
he said again, and then he turned and c