"It may have been the hue of the carrion-crow for all you know." "I am _sure_ it was not," reply I, stoutly; then, after a little pause, "I do not think that I _did_ get on well with him--not what _I_ call getting on--he seems rather a touchy young gentleman." "You must not quarrel with him, Nancy," says Sir Roger, laughing.

"He lives not a stone's-throw from us." "So he told me!" "Poor fellow!" with an accent of compassion.

"He has never had much of a chance; he has been his own master almost ever since he was born--a bad thing for any boy--he has no parents, you know." "So he told me." "Neither has he any brothers or sisters." "So he told me!" "He seems to have told you a great many things." "Yes," reply I, "but then I asked him a great many questions: our conversation was rather like the catechism: the moment I stopped asking _him_ questions, he began asking me!".