increase, Mrs. Teachum's anger. The guilty persons now began all
to excuse themselves as fast as tears and sobs would permit them.

One said, 'Indeed, madam, it was none of my fault; for I did not
begin; for Miss Sukey Jennett, without any cause in the world (for
I did nothing to provoke her), hit me a great slap in the face,
and made my tooth ache; the pain DID make me angry; and then,
indeed, I hit her a little tap; but it was on her back; and I am
sure it was the smallest tap in the world and could not possibly
hurt her half so much as her great blow did me.'

'Law, miss!' replied Miss Jennett, 'how can you say so? when you
know that you struck me first, and that yours was the great blow,
and mine the little tap; for I only went to defend myself from
your monstrous blows.'

Such like defences they would all have made for themselves, each
insisting on not being in fault, and throwing the blame on her
companion; but Mrs. Teachum silenced them by a positive command;
and told them, that she saw they were all equally guilty, and as
such would treat them.

Mrs. Teachum's method of punishing I never could find out. But
this is certain, the most severe punishment she had ever inflicted
on any misses, since she had kept a school, was now laid on these
wicked girls, who had been thus fighting, and pulling one another
to pieces, for a sorry apple.

The first thing she did was to take away all the apples; telling
them, that before they had any more instances of such kindness