to go away and leave Brookes to do all the work himself. Now then,
my boy, is this true?"

"Well, about half of it, father."

"I'm sorry to hear it, Nic, though I'm glad you are so frank," said the
doctor, rather sternly. "You own to half. Now how much of the other
half would be true if judged by an impartial observer?"

"I don't think any of it, father."

"Humph!" ejaculated the doctor. "This is a great pity, my boy. I
cannot have dissension here at the station. Brookes is a valuable
servant to me, where men with a character are very scarce. He is, I
know, firm and severe to the blacks and to the convict labourers I have
had from time to time, and I must warn you these assigned servants are
not men of good character. Has this Leather been making advances toward
you, and telling you some pitiful tale of his innocency to excite your
compassion?"

"Oh no, father," cried Nic. "He has been as distant and surly to me as
could be."

"Ah! There you see! The man is not well behaved."

"He works well, father, and was doing his best; but Brookes does nothing
but bully and find fault, and he went on so yesterday at the poor fellow
that at last I felt as if I couldn't bear it, and--and I'm afraid I got
in a terrible passion and talked as if I were the master."

"I repeat what I said, Nic. I am very sorry, and I must ask you to be
more careful. You say you played the master?"

"Yes, father."

"Very badly, my lad. He is a poor master who cannot govern his temper.
Men under you always respect quiet firmness, and it will do more in
ruling or governing than any amount of noisy bullying. There, I am not
going to say any more."

"But you don't know, father, how cruelly he uses Leather."

"Neither do you, Nic, I'm afraid. You are young and chivalrous, and
naturally, from your age, ready to magnify and resist what you look upon
as oppression. There, be careful, my lad. I shall keep an eye on
Leather and take notice for myself. As to Brookes, I shall leave
matters to you. I do not ask you to apologise to him, but I should like
you to run over yesterday's business in your own mind, and where you
feel conscientiously that you were in the wrong I should like you to
show Brookes that you regret that portion of what you said. One moment,
and I've done. I want you to recollect that he is a man of fifty, while
you are only about sixteen. Do we understand each other?"

"Oh yes, father," cried the boy, earnestl