dded to his displeasure.

"You seem to think you have a licence to play off any impertinent freaks
you please, without consideration for any one," he said; "but I tell
you it is not so. As long as you are under my roof, you shall feel my
authority, and you shall spend the rest of the day in your room. I hope
quietness there will bring you to a better mind, but I am disappointed
in you. A boy who can choose such a time, and such subjects, for
insolent, unfeeling, practical jokes, cannot be in a fit state for
Confirmation."

"Oh, papa! papa!" cried the two girls, in tones of entreaty--while
Harry, with a burning face and hasty step, dashed upstairs without a
word.

"You have been as bad!" said Dr. May. "I say nothing to you, Mary, you
knew no better; but, to see you, Ethel, first encouraging him in his
impertinence, and terrifying Margaret so, that I dare say she may be a
week getting over it, and now defending him, and calling her silly, is
unbearable. I cannot trust one of you!"

"Only listen, papa!"

"I will have no altercation; I must go back to Margaret, since no one
else has the slightest consideration for her."

An hour had passed away, when Richard knocked at Ethel's door to tell
her that tea was ready.

"I have a great mind not to go down," said Ethel, as he looked in, and
saw her seated with a book.

"What do you mean?"

"I cannot bear to go down while poor Harry is so unjustly used."

"Hush, Ethel!"

"I cannot hush. Just because Margaret fancies robbers and murderers, and
all sorts of nonsense, as she always did, is poor Harry to be accused of
wantonly terrifying her, and shut up, and cut off from Confirmation? and
just when he is going away, too! It is unkind, and unjust, and--"

"Ethel, you will be sorry--"

"Papa will be sorry," continued Ethel, disregarding the caution. "It is
very unfair, that I will say so. It was all nonsense of Margaret's,
but he will always make everything give way to her. And poor Harry
just going to sea! No, Ritchie, I cannot come down; I cannot behave as
usual."

"You will grieve Margaret much more," said Richard.

"I can't help that--she should not have made such a fuss."

Richard was somewhat in difficulties how to answer, but at that moment
Harry's door, which was next, was slightly opened, and his voice said,
"Go down, Ethel. The captain may punish any one he pleases, and it is
mutiny in the rest of the crew to take his part."

"Harry is in the right," sai