Take him," she cried, giving Tommy a push toward Elspeth, "I don't want the mean little story-teller." "He's not mean!" retorted Elspeth.
"Nor yet little!" roared Tommy.
"Yes, he is," insisted Grizel, "and I was not harrying nests.

He came with me here because he wanted to." "Just for the once," he said, hastily.
"This is the sixth time," said Grizel, and then she marched out of the Den.

Tommy and Elspeth followed slowly, and not a word did either say until they were in front of Aaron's house.

Then by the light in the window Tommy saw that Elspeth was crying softly, and he felt miserable.
"I was just teaching her to fight," he said humbly.
"You looked like it!" she replied, with the scorn that comes occasionally to the sweetest lady.
He tried to comfort her in various tender ways, but none of them sufficed this time, "You'll marry her as soon as you're a man," she insisted, and she would not let this tragic picture go.

It was a case for his biggest efforts, and he opened his mouth to threaten instant self-destruction unless she became happy at once.