ter that, a lad may teach himself everything. I pick up every
day, here and there; and I never see a thing or a word that I don't
understand but I find out the meaning when I can. I picked up that hard
word at Bartlemy fair."

"And very hard you hit him with it."

"Who wouldn't to serve a friend? But mark my words, father, this won't
last long. There's a squall blowing up, and Jacob, quiet as he seems to
be, will show his teeth ere long."

Tom was correct in his surmise. I had not taken my seat at my desk more
than a minute, when Mr Hodgson entered, and commenced a tirade of
abuse, which my pride could no longer allow me to submit to. An
invoice, perfectly correct and well-written, which I had nearly
completed, he snatched from before me, tore into fragments, and ordered
me to write it over again. Indignant at this treatment, I refused, and
throwing down my pen, looked at him determinedly in the face. Irritated
at this defiance, he caught up a directory, and threw it at my head. No
longer able to command myself, I seized a ruler and returned the salute.
It was whizzing through the air as Mr Drummond entered the room; and
he was just in time to witness Mr Hodgson struck on the forehead and
felled to the ground, while I remained with my arm raised, standing upon
the cross-bar of my high stool, my face glowing with passion.

Appearances were certainly against me. Assistance was summoned, and the
head clerk removed to his chamber, during all which time I remained
seated on my stool before the desk, my breast heaving with tumultuous
feelings. How long I remained there I cannot say, it might have been
two hours; feelings long dormant had been aroused, and whirled round and
round in a continual cycle in my feverish brains. I should have
remained probably much longer in this state of absorption, had I not
been summoned to attend Mr Drummond. It appeared that in the meantime
Mr Hodgson had come to his own senses, and had given his own version of
the fracas, which had been, to an unjustifiable degree, corroborated by
the stupid young clerk, who was no friend of mine, and who sought favour
with his principal. I walked up to the drawing-room, where I found Mr
and Mrs Drummond, and little Sarah, whose eyes were red with crying. I
entered without any feeling of alarm, my breast was too full of
indignation. Mrs Drummond looked grave and mournful, Mr Drummond
severe.

"Jacob Faithful, I have sent for you to tell yo