"I don't want no help. Ye'll make it worse, Mr. Crane." He muttered. "I never asked for no constable. Nor a doctor."

"You're already hurt. How can I make it worse?" He folded his arms and frowned. "Should I ask around? I can always start with that family of yours, they may have some hint to who'd do it?"

"Don't tell 'em!" Noah said hurriedly. He rubbed his wrists. They were bruised.

The anger and near hatred he had for Noah wilted and he sighed putting a hand to his to look at the bruising. "Ok, did your family do this? Tell me the truth. You might think I'm terrible, but I really do try to help people."

"No, they didn't do owt. But it's all humiliatin' enough. I don't need anyone else involved! Please, Mr. Crane. Just leave it be." He tried to look at Elijah with puppy eyes or something of the sort, but with his black eye and burst lip, that just looked like a grimace.

Elijah frowned getting a little annoyed. "Tell me how much pride you keep by not telling me and letting it happen  again? It's not like I'll run right there and confront whoever it is in public so they could get revenge. I try to do things delicately." He certainly had his moments though

"It won't happen again if I don't grass," the boy muttered.

Elijah looked at him perplexed. "Grass?"

"Rat em out," he muttered.

Elijah sighed and ran a hand down his face. "So you know who did it. Can you answer that much ? And are they dangerous usually?"