public-house (where a trap was set for him, but Winnie
came and broke down the door, and put two men under, and trod on them,)
is as well known as any ballad. It was reported for awhile that poor Tom
had been caught at last, by means of his fondness for liquor, and was
hanged before Taunton Jail; but luckily we knew better. With a good
wife, and a wonderful horse, and all the country attached to him, he
kept the law at a wholesome distance, until it became too much for its
master; and a new king arose. Upon this, Tom sued his pardon afresh; and
Jeremy Stickles, who suited the times, was glad to help him in getting
it, as well as a compensation. Thereafter the good and respectable
Tom lived a godly (though not always sober) life; and brought up his
children to honesty, as the first of all qualifications.

My dear mother was as happy as possibly need be with us; having no
cause for jealousy, as others arose around her. And everybody was well
pleased, when Lizzy came in one day and tossed her bookshelf over, and
declared that she would have Captain Bloxham, and nobody should prevent
her. For that he alone, of all the men she had ever met with, knew good
writing when he saw it, and could spell a word when told. As he had now
succeeded to Captain Stickle's position (Stickles going up the tree),
and had the power of collecting, and of keeping, what he liked, there
was nothing to be said against it; and we hoped that he would pay her
out.

I sent little Ensie to Blundell's school, at my own cost and charges,
having changed his name, for fear of what anyone might do to him. I
called him Ensie Jones; and we got him a commission, and after many
scrapes of spirit, he did great things in the Low Countries. He looks
upon me as his father; and without my leave will not lay claim to the
heritage and title of the Doones, which clearly belong to him.

Ruth Huckaback is not married yet; although upon Uncle Reuben's death
she came into all his property; except, indeed, 2000 pounds, which Uncle
Ben, in his driest manner, bequeathed "to Sir John Ridd, the worshipful
knight, for greasing of the testator's boots." And he left almost a
mint of money, not from the mine, but from the shop, and the good use of
usury. For the mine had brought in just what it cost, when the vein of
gold ended suddenly; leaving all concerned much older, and some, I fear,
much poorer; but no one utterly ruined, as is the case with most of
them. Ruth herself was hi