annoy and tease Edgar."

"Oh!" ejaculated Dexter.

"And at last, after the poor boy had tried everything to keep his
companion from the line of conduct he had pursued, he resolved to go
down and sit by the river, leaving Dexter to amuse himself. But
unfortunately the spirit of mischief was so strong in him that this boy
took out a dahlia-stick with a sharp point--Sir James showed it to me--
and then, after stabbing at him for some time, began to use his fists,
and beat Edgar in the most cruel way."

"Oh, my!" ejaculated Dexter; and then, giving his right foot a stamp,
"Well, of all the--Oh, my! what a whopper!"

The low slangy expression was brought out with such an air of indignant
protest that Helen was unable to keep her countenance, and she looked
away, while the doctor, who was quite as much impressed, frowned more
severely to hide the mirth aroused by the boy's ejaculations, and turned
to him sharply--

"What do you mean by that, sir!" he cried.

"Mean?" cried Dexter indignantly, and without a shade of fear in his
frank bold eyes; "why there isn't a bit of it true. He didn't like me
because I came from over yonder, and he wouldn't speak to me. Then he
kept on hitting me, and I wouldn't hit him back, because I thought it
would make her cross; but, last of all, he hurt me so that I forgot all
about everything, and then we did fight, and I whipped--and that's all."

"Oh, that's all, is it, sir!" said the doctor, who was angry and yet
amused.

"Yes, that's all," said Dexter; "only I've got a bite on my arm, and one
on my neck, and one on my shoulder. They didn't bleed, though, only
pinched and hurt. I only hit him one good un, and that was on the nose,
and it made it bleed."

"Humph!" ejaculated the doctor. "Now, look here, Dexter, is every word
of that true!"

"Yes, sir, every bit," cried the boy eagerly. "You will see if it
ain't."

The doctor's face wrinkled a little more, as to conceal a smile he
turned to his daughter--

"Now," he said, "do you think this is true?"

"I feel sure it is," said Helen. "I am convinced that Dexter would not
tell either of us a falsehood."

"There!" cried the boy, smiling triumphantly, as he crept to Helen's
side and laid his hand in hers. "Hear that? Of course I wouldn't. I
wanted to be all right, but--I say, does my head bleed there?"

He took off his cap, and held down his head, while Helen looked at the
spot he pointed out, and shuddered slightly.