She seemed to consider every stain on the injured garments a blot on the shield of the English boy which no apologies could excuse or efface.

Hal fairly fled before the enemy; and once safe in his own room, whistled so lustily as to drown all sound of the railing from without.
It was an unusually busy day with Mrs.McKinstry, or it is doubtful whether she would have allowed even this close to the skirmish, for she had a taste for such encounters.

Blair however heard the dripping and swashing of water in the rear of the house as he went up the narrow stairway.

The wide cap-border of Mrs.McKinstry was fanning backwards and forwards, as she bent with a regular motion over the tub in which her red arms were immersed.

She gave one look at Blair as he went up to her lodger's room, but did not condescend even to exchange watchwords with him.
In answer to Blair's knock was returned a resolute "Who's there ?" The reply set Hal's mind at ease, and the visitor was promptly admitted.
Blair stated his business at once, but to his surprise he met with a blank refusal from Hal.