"But he was always most dangerous when he was quiet," he reflected uneasily, and checked himself in sheer funk.
Mr.Gloag came, as he thought, to Tommy's defence.

"If Mr.Sandys questions," he said heavily, "whether courage would have been vouchsafed to him at that trying hour, it is right and fitting that he should admit it with Christian humility." "Quite so, quite so," Mr.James agreed, with heartiness.

He had begun to look solemn at the word "vouchsafed." "For we are differently gifted," continued Mr.Gloag, now addressing his congregation.

"To some is given courage, to some learning, to some grace.

Each has his strong point," he ended abruptly, and tucked reverently into the jam, which seemed to be his.
"If he would not have risked his life to save the boy," Elspeth interposed hotly, "it would have been because he was thinking of me." "I should like to believe that thought of you would have checked me," Tommy said.
"I am sure it would," said Grizel.
Mr.Cathro was rubbing his hands together covertly, yet half wishing he could take her aside and whisper: "Be canny; it's grand to hear you, but be canny; he is looking most extraordinar meek, and unless he has cast his skin since he was a laddie, it's not chancey to meddle with him when he is meek." The doctor also noticed that Grizel was pressing Tommy too hard, and though he did not like the man, he was surprised--he had always thought her so fair-minded.
"For my part," he said, "I don't admire the unknown half so much for what he did as for his behaviour afterwards.