significant looks as I passed along. When we came into the judge's
presence my uncle, after two or three sea-bows, expressed himself
in this manner; "Your servant, your servant. What cheer, father?
what cheer? I suppose you don't know me--mayhap you don't. My name
is Tom Bowling, and this here boy, you look as if you did not know
him neither; 'tis like you mayn't. He's new rigged, i'faith; his
cloth don't shake in the wind so much as it wont to do. "Tis my
nephew, d'y see, Roderick Random--your own flesh and blood, old
gentleman. Don't lay a-stern, you dog," pulling me forward. My
grandfather (who was laid up with the gout) received this relation,
after his long absence, with that coldness of civility which was
peculiar to him; told him he was glad to see him, and desired him
to sit down. "Thank ye, thank ye, sir, I had as lief stand," said
my uncle; "for my own part, I desire nothing of you; but, if you
have any conscience at all, do something for this poor boy, who
has been used at a very unchristian rate. Unchristian do I call
it? I am sure the Moors in Barbary have more humanity than to leave
their little ones to want. I would fain know why my sister's son
is more neglected than that there fair-weather Jack" (pointing to
the young squire, who with the rest of my cousins had followed us
into the room). "Is not he as near akin to you as the other? Is he
not much handsomer and better built than that great chucklehead?
Come, come, consider, old gentleman, you are going in a short time
to give an account of your evil actions. Remember the wrongs you
did his father, and make all the satisfaction in your power before
it be too late. The least thing you can do is to settle his father's
portion on him" The young ladies, who thought themselves too much
concerned to contain themselves any longer, set up their throats
all together against my protector--"Scurvy companion--saucy
tarpaulin--rude, impertinent fellow, did he think to prescribe