His body bunched together as though for a spring, and his face became as an infuriated beast's as he snarled, "It's a--" "A what ?" Wolf Larsen asked, a peculiar softness in his voice, as though he were overwhelmingly curious to hear the unspoken word.
The boy hesitated, then mastered his temper.

"Nothin', sir.

I take it back." "And you have shown me I was right." This with a gratified smile.

"How old are you ?" "Just turned sixteen, sir," "A lie.

You'll never see eighteen again.