He knew full well how Nick was watching his every action, trying to hug just a glimmer of hope to his heart that, perhaps, Hugh might be merciful, and let him off, as the skates were now once again in his possession.

The shadow of the Reformatory loomed up dreadfully close to Nick Lang just then, darker than he had ever before imagined it could look.

It terrified him, too, and caused him to shiver as though someone had dashed a bucket of ice-cold water over him unexpectedly.
"Yes, I recognize these skates very well, Chief," Hugh told the waiting officer.
"And do they belong to you, Hugh ?" continued the officer, with a stern look at the cringing culprit near by, who weakly leaned against the table for support after his recent rough handling.
"They _were_ my property until just ten minutes, more or less, ago, Chief," said Hugh, deliberately fixing Nick with his eye, so as to impress things on him in a way he could never forget.

"Then I had an offer from Nick here to buy them.

At first I was averse to letting him have them, but I changed my mind.