'It is perfectly impossible;' and he shook his head regretfully but decidedly.
'Half-a-crown, or five shillings perhaps, if you would take it,' he added hesitatingly, but stopped short on catching sight of the hard, contemptuous expression that overspread Jack's face, but a moment ago so sunny.
"No thank you, sir,' he replied.

'I should be very sorry to take _any_ subscription from you, knowing what I do, and so would all my companions.
You're a master, sir, and I'm a boy, but I can tell you I wish you _were_ a boy that I might speak out.

I couldn't help seeing what came to you by post this morning--you know I couldn't--and yet on the face of that you tell me you're too hard-up to do what I came to ask like a gentleman--and what would have been for your good in the end too.

I'm not going to tell what came to my knowledge by accident; you needn't be afraid of that, but I'd be uncommonly sorry to take _anything_ from you for our fireworks.' "And again Jack turned on his heel, and in hot wrath left the under-master, muttering again between his set teeth as he did so the one word 'cad.' "'Jack,' Mr.Sawyer called after him, but either he did not call loud enough or Jack would not take any notice of his summons, for he did not return.

What a pity! Had he done so, Mr.Sawyer, who understood him too well to feel the indignation a more superficial person would have done at his passionate outburst, had it in his heart to take the hasty, impulsive, generous-spirited lad into his confidence and what might not have been the result?
What a different future for the poor under-master, had he then and there and for ever won from the boy the respect and sympathy he so well deserved! "Jack returned to his companions gloomy but taciturn.