He said: "Yes, mother. Phatik did hit me."

Phatik's patience was already exhausted. He could not hear this
injustice. He rushed at Makban, and hammered him with blows:
"Take that" he cried, "and that, and that, for telling lies."

His mother took Makhan's side in a moment, and pulled Phatik away,
beating him with her hands. When Phatik pushed her aside, she shouted
out: "What I you little villain! would you hit your own mother?"

It was just at this critical juncture that the grey-haired stranger
arrived. He asked what was the matter. Phatik looked sheepish and
ashamed.

But when his mother stepped back and looked at the stranger, her anger
was changed to surprise. For she recognised her brother, and cried:
"Why, Dada! Where have you come from? "As she said these words, she
bowed to the ground and touched his feet. Her brother had gone away
soon after she had married, and he had started business in Bombay. His
sister had lost her husband while he was In Bombay. Bishamber had now
come back to Calcutta, and had at once made enquiries about his sister.
He had then hastened to see her as soon as he found out where she
was.

The next few days were full of rejoicing. The brother asked after the
education of the two boys. He was told by his sister that Phatik was a
perpetual nuisance. He was lazy, disobedient, and wild. But Makhan was
as good as gold, as quiet as a lamb, and very fond of reading,
Bishamber kindly offered to take Phatik off his sister's hands, and
educate him with his own children in Calcutta. The widowed mother