wife, Jack, upon the foreman attempting to strike him, had knocked
the latter down in the shop.

Mr. Anthony's first impulse was to take his apprentice before
the justices and to demand condign punishment for such an act of
flagrant rebellion; but a moment's reflection told him that Jack,
at the end of his punishment, would return to his house, where
his wife would take his part as usual, and the quarrels which had
frequently arisen on his account would be more bitter than before.

It was far better to get rid of him at once, and he accordingly
ordered him from the shop, tore up his indenture before his eyes,
and bade him never let him see his face again. For the first few
hours Jack was delighted at his freedom. He spent the day down on
the wharves talking to the fishermen and sailors. There were no
foreign bound ships in the port, and he had no wish to ship on board
a coaster; he therefore resolved to wait until a vessel sailing
for foreign ports should leave.

He had no money; but a few hours after he left the shop Mrs.
Anthony's maid found him on the wharf, and gave him a letter from
her mistress. In this was inclosed a sum of money sufficient to
last him for some time, and an assurance that she did not share
her husband's anger against him.

"I have no doubt, my dear Jack," she said, "that in time I could
heal the breach and could arrange for you to come back again,
but I think perhaps it is better as it is. You would never make a
clothier, and I don't think you would ever become Mayor of Southampton.
I know what your wishes are, and I think that you had better follow