moor the boat. He opened the door for me, glowering at me
moodily. "Mr. Hyde shall know of this," he said when all was
secured. He caught me by the arm to drag me out of the
boat-house; so I, expecting this, rapped him shrewdly with the
stretcher on the elbow. I thought for a moment that he would beat
me. I could see his face very fierce in the dusk. I heard his
teeth gritting. Then fear of my uncle restrained him. All that he
said was, "If I 'ad my way I'd 'ave it out of you for this. A
good sound whippin's what you want."

"Is it?" I asked contemptuously. "Lock the door."

Ephraim left me in the sitting-room while he made his report to
my uncle. It was not a long report. He returned in a few minutes
to say that I was to be locked into my room without supper. "Mr.
'Ide is in a fine taking," he said. "Per'aps 'e'll knock some of
your pride out of you." I made no answer, but let him march me to
my room, to the execution of the sentence. "There," he said,
through the door, as he turned the key on me. "Per'aps that'll
bring you to your senses."

"Ephraim the stiff-neck!" I answered loudly.; "Old Ephraim
Stiff-neck! Stiff-neck!"

"Ah," he answered, clumping down the corridor. He was thinking
how small I should sing when, in the morning, he gave me the
option of apologizing to him, or going without breakfast.

It was pretty dark by this time. Fish Lane was as quiet as a
country road. No one was stirring there. I thought that, as my