_Johnny_. Speak out, will you?

_Alie_. You know--there are--cows!

Johnny burst into a loud, coarse laugh of derision. "You miserable
little coward!" he cried; "I'd like to see one chasing you round the
meadow! How you'd scamper! how you'd scream! rare fun it would be,--ha!
ha! ha!"

"Rare fun would it be, sir!" exclaimed an indignant voice, as Jonas
stumped from the next room, and, seizing his nephew by the collar of his
jacket, gave him a hearty shake; "rare fun would it be,--and what do you
call this? You dare twit your sister with cowardice!--you who sneaked
off yesterday like a fox because you had not the spirit to look an old
man in the face!--you who bully the weak and cringe to the strong!--you
who have the manners of a bear with the heart of a pigeon!" Every
sentence was accompanied by a violent shake, which almost took the
breath from the boy; and Jonas, red with passion, concluded his speech
by flinging Johnny from him with such force that, but for the wall
against which he staggered, he must have fallen to the ground.

The next minute Jonas walked up to the mantle-piece, and exclaiming, in
a tone of vexation, "Run aground again!" took his pipe, snapped it in
two, and flung the pieces into the fire! He then stumped back to his
room, slamming the door behind him.

"The old fury!" muttered the panting Johnny between his clenched teeth,
looking fiercely towards his uncle's room.