“I beg your pardon, Mr. Headstone, but I couldn’t help wondering what in the world brought him here!”

Though he said it as if his wonder were past⁠—at the same time resuming the walk⁠—it was not lost upon the master that he looked over his shoulder after speaking, and that the same perplexed and pondering frown was heavy on his face.

“You don’t appear to like your friend, Hexam?”

“I don’t like him,” said the boy.

“Why not?”

“He took hold of me by the chin in a precious impertinent way, the first time I ever saw him,” said the boy.