way back from the farm.

_Johnny_. That's it! I took it out of my pocket, and I never put it in
again. I want you to go directly and look for the ball. That stile is
only three fields off, you know. You must look carefully along the path
all the way; and lose no time, or some one else may pick it up.

_Alie_. Pray, Johnny, don't ask me to go into the fields.

_Johnny_. I tell you, you have plenty of time for your lessons.

_Alie_. It is not that, but--

_Johnny_. Speak out, will you?

_Alie_. You know--there are--cows!

Johnny burst into a loud, coarse laugh of derision. "You miserable
little coward!" he cried; "I'd like to see one chasing you round the
meadow! How you'd scamper! how you'd scream! rare fun it would be,--ha!
ha! ha!"

"Rare fun would it be, sir!" exclaimed an indignant voice, as Jonas
stumped from the next room, and, seizing his nephew by the collar of his
jacket, gave him a hearty shake; "rare fun would it be,--and what do you
call this? You dare twit your sister with cowardice!--you who sneaked
off yesterday like a fox because you had not the spirit to look an old
man in the face!--you who bully the weak and cringe to the strong!--you
who have the manners of a bear with the heart of a pigeon!" Every
sentence was accompanied by a violent shake, which almost took the
breath from the boy; and Jonas, red with passion, concluded his speech
by flinging Johnny from him with such force that, but for the wall
against which he staggered, he must have fallen to the ground.

The next minute Jonas walked up to the mantle-piece, and exclaiming, in
a tone of vexation, "Run aground again!" took his pipe, snapped it in
two, and flung the pieces into the fire! He then stumped back to his
room, slamming the door behind him.

"The old fury!" muttered the panting Johnny between his clenched teeth,
looking fiercely towards his uncle's room.

"To break his own pipe!" exclaimed Alie. "I never knew him do anything
like that before, however angry he might be!"

Johnny took down his cap from its peg, and, in as ill humour as can
well be imagined, went out to search for his ball. He took what revenge
he could on his formidable uncle, while amusing himself that afternoon
by looking over his "Robinson Crusoe." Johnny was fond of his pencil,
though he had never learned to draw; and the margins of his books were
often adorned with grim heads or odd figures by his hand. There was
a picture in "Robinson Crusoe" representi