He hesitated an instant, when his companion, who seemed to be equally but more sluggishly embarrassed, in a moment of preoccupied perplexity withdrew from his pocket his right hand swathed in a blood-stained bandage, and following some instinctive habit, attempted, as if reflectively, to scratch his head with two stiffened fingers.
"You are hurt," said the master, genuinely shocked, "and here I am detaining you." "I had my hand up--so," explained McKinstry, with heavy deliberation, "and the ball raked off my little finger after it went through my hat.
But that ain't what I wanted to say when I stopped ye.

I ain't just kam enough yet," he apologized in the calmest manner, "and I clean forgit myself," he added with perfect self-possession.

"But I was kalkilatin' to ask you"-- he laid his bandaged hand familiarly on the master's shoulder--"if Cressy kem all right ?" "Perfectly," said the master.

"But shan't I walk on home with you, and we can talk together after your wound is attended to ?" "And she looked purty ?" continued McKinstry without moving.
"Very." "And you thought them new store gownds of hers right peart ?" "Yes," said the master.

"Perhaps a little too fine for the school, you know," he added insinuatingly, "and"-- "Not for her--not for her," interrupted McKinstry.