father had no doubt in his mind but that it was my
mother who had betrayed him. This knowledge had for years rankled in his
breast, and he had come home, not only from a wish to see how things
were going on, but to reproach my mother with her treachery.

Whether my mother's conscience smote her, or that she perceived by my
father's looks that a squall was brewing, I know not; but as soon as Ben
had left the house, she shut the street-door that the neighbors might
not hear. Having so done, she turned to my father, who had resumed his
seat and his pipe.

"Well," said she, putting her apron to her eyes, "you have been away a
good six years, and left me to get on how I could with these two poor
orphanless children."

"You know best why I went," replied my father, "and by whose means I was
walked off in such a hurry."

"Me?" replied my mother.

"Yes, you," responded my father.

"Well, what next?" cried she.

"I'll tell you what next," said my father, rising, and taking about
eighteen inches of inch-and-a-half rope out of his pocket, "Look you,
ma'am, when I first found out that it was by your peaching that I was
sent on board of the tender, I made up this colt, and I vowed that I
would keep it in my pocket till I served you out. Now the time's come."

Here my father flourished his rope's end. My mother would have flown to
the door, but my father was beforehand with her; he turned the key, and,
to the astonishment of Virginia and me, he seized my mother, and,
holding her at arm's length, gave her several blows--not severe ones, I
must acknowledge, indeed, they could not have hurt her.

"There," said my father, "it's well for you, my Lady's ladies' maid,
that I did not fall in with you when I first made up this colt; and it's
well for you that I've heard a good character of you from the old chap
who has just now left the house, or you'd have smarted for the false
trick you played upon me. Howsomever, I've kept my oath, and you may
thank your stars that it's not worse."

My mother, who had not uttered a cry during the punishment, but only
looked very indignant, now that my father had finished his speech, and
was rolling up his colt to put it in his pocket, suddenly threw herself
down on the floor, screaming murder with all her might. The noise
summoned the neighbors--all Fisher's Alley was in an uproar, and our
house was besieged with people, who attempted to force their way in--for
my mother continued her screams,