The Imp and the Author
He was very hungry indeed, and his wrongs returned to him suddenly, as the excitement of the rescue died away, and his legs began to feel as if they had gone a long distance—which, indeed, they had. So he replied very briefly to the Author's remarks, and finally took no notice at all, but sat looking gloomily out to sea. The Author regarded him seriously.
"You don't seem very sociable," he said at length.
The Imp made no reply.
"Perhaps you came out here to be alone," the Author hazarded.
The Imp stuck his lip out and dug his heel into the sand.
"I believe you did," the Author continued, "well, so did I. Queer we should have struck this place together, wasn't it?"
There was no answer, and he went on looking with interest at the little scowling Imp beside him.
"You must have felt pretty bad to come 'way out here," he said, "what's the matter?"
The Imp looked at him suspiciously, but he perceived that this man was no meddling busy-
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