you want to kick?" he said.

Tommy glanced at him and was silent.

"Significant!" commented Monck. He put his hand with very unwonted
kindness upon the lad's shoulder. "What do you want to kick me for,
Tommy?" he asked.

Tommy shrugged the shoulder under his hand. "If you don't know, I can't
tell you," he said gruffly.

Monck's fingers closed with quiet persistence. "Yes, you can. Out with
it!" he said.

But Tommy remained doggedly silent.

Several seconds passed. Then very suddenly Monck raised his hand and
smote him hard on the back.

"Damn!" said Tommy, straightening involuntarily.

"That's better," said Monck. "That'll do you good. Don't curl up again!
You're getting disgracefully round-shouldered. Like to have a bout with
the gloves?"

There was not a shade of ill-feeling in his voice. Tommy turned round
upon him with a smile as involuntary as his exclamation had been.

"What a brute you are, Monck! You have such a beastly trick of putting a
fellow in the wrong."