"Yes!" he snapped; the tone seemed defiant.

The old woman's hands trembled, so that she dropped a cup.
Mary turned a shade paler.

"Here, git me some tea. Git me some TEA!" shouted Mr. Wylie.
"I ain't agoin' to sit here all night!"

His wife made what haste her nervousness would allow,
and they soon sat down to tea. Jack, the eldest son, was sulky,
and his father muttered something about knocking the sulks out of him
with an axe.

"What's annoyed you, Jack?" asked his mother, humbly.

He scowled and made no answer.

The younger children -- three boys and a girl -- began quarrelling
as soon as they sat down. Wylie yelled at them now and then,
and grumbled at the cooking, and at his wife for not being able
to keep the children quiet. It was: "Marther! you didn't put no sugar
in my tea." "Mother, Jimmy's got my place; make him move."
"Mawther! do speak to this Fred." "Oh! father, this big brute of a Harry's
kickin' me!" And so on.


II.

When the miserable meal was over, Wylie got a rope and a butcher's knife,