which, with his load, tumbled over backwards.
Now it very unfortunately happened that Aunt Rachel sat close behind,
and the treacherous stool came down with considerable force upon her
foot.

A piercing shriek was heard, and Aunt Rachel, lifting her foot, clung to
it convulsively, while an expression of pain distorted her features.

At the sound, the cooper hastily removed his spectacles, and letting
"Captain Cook" fall to the floor, started up in great dismay--Mrs. Crump
likewise dropped her sewing, and jumped to her feet in alarm.

It did not take long to see how matters stood.

"Hurt ye much, Rachel?" inquired Timothy.

"It's about killed me," groaned the afflicted maiden. "Oh, I shall have
to have my foot cut off, or be a cripple anyway." Then turning upon
Jack, fiercely, "you careless, wicked, ungrateful boy, that I've been
wearin' myself out knittin' for. I'm almost sure you did it a purpose.
You won't be satisfied till you've got me out of the world, and
then--then, perhaps----" here Rachel began to whimper, "perhaps you'll
get Tom Piper's aunt to knit your stockings."

"I didn't mean to, Aunt Rachel," said Jack, penitently, eyeing his aunt,
who was rocking to and fro in her chair. "Besides, I hurt myself like
thunder," rubbing vigorously the lower part of the dorsal-region.

"Served you right," said his aunt, still clasping her foot.

"Sha'n't I get something for you to put on it?" asked Mrs. Crump of
(sic) her-sister-in-law.

This Rachel steadily refused, and after a few more postures, (sic)
indicating a great amount of anguish, limped out of the room, and
ascended the stairs to her own apartment.

CHAPTER III. THE LANDLORD'S VISIT.

SOON after Rachel's departure Jack, also, was seized with a sleepy
fit, and postponing the construction of his boat to a more favorable
opportunity, took a candle and followed his aunt's example.

The cooper and his wife were now left alone.

"Now that Rachel and Jack have gone to bed, Mary," he commenced,
hesitatingly, "I don't mind saying that I am a little troubled in mind
about one thing."

"What's that?" asked Mrs. Crump, anxiously.

"It's just this, I don't anticipate being stinted for food. I know we
shall get along some way; but there's another expense which I am afraid
of."

"Is it the rent?" inquired his wife, apprehensively.

"That's it. The quarter's rent, twenty dollars, comes due to-morrow, and
I've got less than a dollar to meet it."