is chair, with a loud cry. He had put his fingers into a
rat gin, set by the old woman for those intruders, and he held up his
arm and stamped as he shouted out with the pain. I hastened to him, and
pressing down the spring, released his fingers from the teeth, which,
however, had drawn blood, as well as bruised him; fortunately, like most
of the articles of their menage, the trap was a very old one, and he was
not much hurt. The Dominie thrust his fingers into his capacious mouth,
and held them there some time without speaking. He began to feel a
little ease, when in came the matron.

"Why, what's all this!" said she, in a querulous tone. "Jacob here, and
all my cupboard on the table. Jacob, how dare you go to my cupboard?"

"It was the Dominie, Mrs Bately, who looked there for something for me
to eat, and he has been caught in a rat-trap."

"Serve him right; I have forbade him that cupboard. Have I not, Mr
Dobbs?"

"Yea, and verily," quoth the Dominie, "and I do repent me that I took
not thine advice, for look at my fingers;" and the Dominie extended his
lacerated digits.

"Dear me! well I'd no idea that a rat-trap pinched so hard," replied the
old woman, whose wrath was appeased. "How it must hurt the poor
things--I won't set it again, but leave them all to the cat; he'll kill
them, if he only can get at them." The old lady went to a drawer,
unlocked it, brought out some fragments of rags, and a bottle of friar's
balsam, which she applied to the Dominie's hand, and then bound it up,
scolding him the whole time. "How stupid of you, Mr Dobbs; you know
that I was only out for a few minutes. Why didn't you wait--and why did
you go to the cupboard? Hav'n't I always told you not to look into it?
and now you see the consequences."

"Verily my hand burneth," replied the Dominie.

"I will go for cold water, and it will ease you. What a deal of trouble
you do give, Mr Dobbs; you're worse than a charity boy;" and the old
lady departed to the pump.

"Vinegar is a better thing, sir," said I, "and there is a bottle in the
cupboard, which I dare say is vinegar." I went to the cupboard, and
brought out the bottle, took out the cork and smelt it. "This is not
vinegar, sir, it is Hollands or gin."

"Then would I like a glass, Jacob, for I feel a sickening faintness upon
me; yet be quick, peradventure the old woman may return."

"Drink out of the bottle, sir," said I, perceiving that the Dominie
looked very p