As long as it was only information that the captain wanted to get at he didn't so much mind being cross-examined, but directly it looked as if his knife was in peril he bristled up.
"That'll do," said he gruffly; "my knife's nothink to do with you." "I know it isn't, and I don't want to take it from you.

I only want to look at it." "Oh, yes; all very fine.

And you mean to make out as it's yourn and you was the chap I saw hoppin' out of the winder, do yer?
I know better.
He weren't your cut, so you needn't try to make that out." "Of course it wasn't I," said Riddell, horrified even at the bare suspicion, still more at the idea of any one confessing to such a crime for the sake of getting a paltry knife.
Still Tom was obdurate and would not produce his treasure.

In vain Riddell assured him that he made no claim to it, and, even if the knife were his own, would not dream of depriving the boy of it now.

Tom listened to it all with an incredulous scowl, and Riddell was beginning to despair of ever setting eyes on the knife, when the boy solved the difficulty of his own accord.
"What do you want to look at it for ?" he demanded.