one of the pistols which his father kept in a
private drawer. Then, pulling in his rocking-horse, he fancied he was
one of the Light Horse, and mounted it to show the sword exercise, and
how he could shoot a Frenchman or a Turk at full gallop. He had no
business with a rocking-horse or a pistol among young ladies, but he
never thought if it were proper or not, and much less if the pistol were
loaded.

While he was going on a full canter, he gave the words, 'Present! fire!'
and off it went, knocked him backwards, and shivered a beautiful mirror
into a thousand pieces. Oh, what a sad scene of confusion ensued! Some
of the young ladies screamed out with fright. Miss Timid, knocked down
by Dicky in falling backwards, lay on the ground bleeding at the nose.
Some were employed in picking up the pieces of glass, or pinning their
handkerchiefs over the fracture, to prevent its being seen while they
stayed; but such a hope was vain.

The noise brought Mr. and Mrs. Random and all the servants upstairs, who
too soon found out the havoc that had been made, and demanded how it
happened. All the children would willingly have screened Dicky, because
they knew he had not done it to frighten, but to amuse them. Master
Snapper, however, now thinking it was his turn, in a very ill-natured
speech made the worst of the story. But the spiteful way in which he
spoke did little Dick no harm, as he seemed more rejoiced at his
misfortune than sorry for Mr. Random's loss; hence it had the effect not
to increase the latter's anger.

'Playing with balancing poles and pistols,' said Mr. Random in a stern
accent to his son, 'is very well in a proper place, but quite
inadmissible in a room full of company. Now, sir, what business had you
to take this pistol out of my room?'

'Indeed, father,' said Dicky, crying, 'I did not know it was loaded.'

'It is but last week,' continued his father, 'that you were told never
to take such a thing without asking, and not even then till someone had
tried if it were loaded. So many accidents have happened with firearms
which have been supposed not to be loaded, that he who unguardedly
shoots another ought to take a similar chance for his own life; for you
know the Scripture says: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."
Think, Richard, that if I had been standing before the mirror, what
would have been the consequence. You would have shot your father! Your
mother would have died of grief, and you and Leti