about, he proceeded.

"Young man, I have got to teach you to mind! I told you to keep away
from this barrel and you paid no attention, and now I'm going to whip
you till you will pay attention!"

At the words "going to whip you" "Dodd" tried to find words to beg, but
they came too slowly, and once more the old man wrapped the supple lash
about the smarting understandings of his grandson.

It seemed to "Dodd" as though his legs were fairly whipped off, and as
if the place for the general reception of the strokes had left him
altogether; as though he could not endure another blow, but still the
supply was unexhausted. He fell limp to the ground, and fairly roared
for mercy.

It was the first time in his life that he had really yielded to any
one, but he never thought of that; he only groaned and begged for
reprieve.

The old man stopped when he felt that he had quite fulfilled his duty,
as he understood it, and then spoke as follows to the boy, who lay
collapsed on the ground:

"There, my young man, get up and go into the house, and after this,
remember and do just exactly as I tell you. That's all I want, but
that I must have, and you must understand it. I don't want to be cruel
to you, and I won't be,--but you must learn to mind, and you had better
learn it now than later. Don't you ever do again what I tell you not
to do, or I shall have to punish you even harder than this!"