BOTCHAN
the first hour class, all the teachers were there at their desks, and Porcupine too was there. The moment Porcupine saw my face, he said that he was late on my account, and I should pay him a fine. I took out that one sen and a half, and saying it was the price of the ice water, shoved it on his desk and told him to take it. “Don’t josh me,” he said, and began laughing, but as I appeared unusually serious, he swept the coins back to my desk, and flung back, “Quit fooling.” So he really meant to treat me, eh?
“No fooling; I mean it,” I said. “I have no reason to accept your treat, and that’s why I pay you back. Why don’t you take it?”
“If you’re so worried about that one sen and a half, I will take it, but why do you pay it at this time so suddenly?”
“This time or any time, I want to pay it back. I pay it back because I don’t like you treat me.”
Porcupine coldly gazed at me and ejaculated “H’m.” If I had not been requested by Red
–119–
