The arm felt strong and kind around him

“Is it scary? Yes? Yes, spose it does have a sort of a scary sound. Now you can say it, you ought to find out what it means, sometime.” “What does it mean?” “Not sure myself, but then I don’t say it. Don’t have occasion.” He opened out one arm and Rufus walked across to him without realizing he was doing so. The arm felt strong and kind around him. “You’re a fine little boy,” Mr. Starr, said. “But it isn’t nice of you to lord it over your sister.” “What’s ‘lord it’?” “Brag about things you can do, that she can’t do yet. That isn’t nice.” “No, sir.” “So you watch, and don’t do it.” “No siree.” “Because Catherine’s a fine little girl, too.” “Yes, sir.” “Aren’t you, Catherine?” He smiled at her and she blushed with delight. Rufus liked Catherine so well, all of a sudden, that he smiled at her, and when she smiled back they were both happy and suddenly he was very much ashamed to have treated her so. “I want to tell you two something,” they heard Mr. Starr’s quieted voice. They looked up at him. “Not because you’ll understand it now, but I have to, my heart’s full, and it’s you I want to tell. Maybe you’ll remember it later on. It is about your daddy. Because you never got a real chance to know him. Can I tell you?” They nodded.