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 "How well you must know German," said Gerald, admiringly. "Did you learn it across the water?" the boy added, half in joke.

"Yes," responded Touchtone, to the astonishment of the other lad. "I learned it in Hanover, when I was there, before we lived near New York."

Gerald happened to glance at Philip's face. It was oddly red, and his voice sounded strangely. All this time, too, there was certainly one particular person to whom he had not so much as referred. But after Gerald had bethought himself of this omission and put his next question he would have given a great deal not to have uttered it. The regret did not come until he had asked Philip point-blank:

"I think you said that your—your father was dead, didn't you? Was that after you came back?"

Philip made no reply. A blush reddened his frank face painfully. His pleasant expression had given place to an angry look. He gave unoffending Nebuchadnezzar a sharp cut with the long whip, as if to conceal mortification in showing his feelings, whatever they