years the elder of the two boys; but the spirit that was in
him cowed Sam, in part, and in part amused him. He made no
offer to return the blows; he stood, or rather jumped, as the
whip slung itself round his legs, crying out,

"Lay it on, Will! -- Lay it on! Hi -- That's right -- Tuck it on,
Will! --"

Till Will's arm was tired; and flinging away from them, in a
towering passion still, he went up the hill after his oxen.
Sam rubbed his legs.

"I say, Governor, we're quits now, ben't we?" he said in a
sort of mock humble good-humour, as Winthrop was about to
follow his brother.

"Yes, yes. Be off with yourself!"

"I wish it had ha' been 'tother one, anyhow," muttered Sam.

Not a word passed between the brothers about either the
ducking or the flagellation. They spoke not but to their oxen.
Rufus's mouth was in the heroic style yet, all the way up the
hill; and the lips of the other only moved once or twice to
smile.

The day was sultry, as it had promised, and the uphill lay of
the ground made the ploughing heavy, and frequent rests of the
oxen were necessary. Little communication was held between the
ploughmen nevertheless; the day wore on, and each kept