ones, who were all a little afraid of the elder brother, had gone off
to feast upon the sweets, Jeph began with enquiries after Steadfast's
back, and he replied that it was mending fast, while Patience
exclaimed at the cruelty and wickedness of so using him.

"Why wouldn't he speak then?" said Jeph. "Yea or nay would have
ended it in a moment, but that's Stead's way. He looks like it now!"
and he did, elbows on knees, and chin on hands.

"Come now, Stead, thou canst speak to me! Was it all because
Faithful hauled thee about?"

"He did, and he had no call to," said Stead, surlily.

"Well, that's true, but I'm not hauling thee. Tell me, Stead, I mind
now that thou wast out with father that last day ere the Parson was
taken to receive his deserts. I don't believe that even thy
churlishness would have stood such blows if thou hadst known naught
of the idolatrous vessels, and couldst have saved thy skin by saying
so! No answer. Why, what have these malignants done for thee that
thou shouldst hold by them? Slain thy father! Burnt thine house!
No fault of theirs that thou art alive this day! Canst not speak?"

Jeph's temper giving way at the provocation, he forgot his
conciliatory intentions and seizing Stead by the collar shook him
violently. Growler almost broke his chain with rage, Patience
screamed and flew to the rescue, just as she had often done when they
were all children together, and Jeph threw his brother from him so
that he fell on the root of a tree, and lay for a moment or two
still, then picked himself up again evidently with pain, though he