,
that they put out her eyes, and then killed her. On Tuesday last
two were killed at Dorchester, one of which weighed sixty pounds
a quarter. We hear from Providence that the bears appear to be
very thick in those parts."

CHAPTER XV.

THE RUNAWAY.

Not long after James was released from prison, a fresh difficulty
arose between Benjamin and himself. In the quarrel they seemed to
forget that they were brothers, who ought to be united by strong ties
of affection. James continued to be passionate and domineering,
treating his brother with harshness, sometimes even beating him,
notwithstanding he was the nominal publisher and editor of a paper.
Benjamin thought he was too old to be treated thus--whipped like a
little boy--and the result was that he asserted his freedom.

"I am my own man from this time," he cried, holding up his indenture
which his brother returned to him, as we saw in a former chapter, in
order to evade the officers of justice. "These papers make me free,
and I shall take advantage of them to leave you," and he fairly shook
them in James's face.

"You know that I never gave them up because I relinquished the bargain
we had made," said James. "If you use them to assert your freedom,
you will be guilty of a base act."

"I _shall_ so use the papers," replied Benjamin defiantly. "I have
borne such treatment long enough, and I shall submit no longer."

"We shall see about that," continued James. "Father will have a word
to say about it, you will find."

"Yes, and he will probably say that you have abused me, and that you
ought to control your temper and treat me better," responded Benjamin.
"He always has decided in my favour, and I have no fears about his
decision now."

It was not fair in Benjamin to take this advantage of his brother, and
he knew it, but his resentment triumphed over his regard for right at
the time. James returned his indenture only that he might be able to
publish the paper unmolested. It was a deceitful arrangement in the
first place, and Benjamin's use of the papers to assert his liberty
was no more unfair and sinful than was James's device to make him the
proprietor of the paper, and thus evade the law. James was paid in his
own coin. He laid a plan to cheat the government, and he got cheated
himself. He was snared in the work of his own hands. This, however,
did not justify Benjamin in his course, as he afterwards saw, and
frankly confessed.