at old sea-chest of his'n. It would be a
kindness to him to invest them for him in an adventure."

Moses answered with a streak of the boy innocence which often remains
under the tramping of evil men, like ribbons of green turf in the middle
of roads:--

"You don't know Father Pennel,--why, he'd no more come into it than"--

A perfect roar of laughter cut short this declaration, and Atkinson,
slapping Moses on the back, said,--

"By ----, Mo! you are the jolliest green dog! I shall die a-laughing of
your innocence some day. Why, my boy, can't you see? Pennel's money can
be invested without asking him."

"Why, he keeps it locked," said Moses.

"And supposing you pick the lock?"

"Not I, indeed," said Moses, making a sudden movement to rise.

Mara almost screamed in her ecstasy, but she had sense enough to hold
her breath.

"Ho! see him now," said Atkinson, lying back, and holding his sides
while he laughed, and rolled over; "you can get off anything on that
muff,--any hoax in the world,--he's so soft! Come, come, my dear boy,
sit down. I was only seeing how wide I could make you open those great
black eyes of your'n,--that's all."

"You'd better take care how you joke with me," said Moses, with that
look of gloomy determination which Mara was quite familiar with of old.
It was the rallying effort of a boy who had abandoned the first outworks
of virtue to make a stand for the citadel. And Atkinson, like a prudent
besieger after a repulse, returned to lie on his arms.

He began talking volubly on other subjects, telling stories, and singing
songs, and pressing Moses to drink.

Mara was comforted to see that he declined drinking,--that he looked
gloomy and thoughtful, in spite of the jokes of his companions; but she
trembled to see, by the following conversation, how Atkinson was
skillfully and prudently making apparent to Moses the extent to which he
had him in his power. He seemed to Mara like an ugly spider skillfully
weaving his web around a fly. She felt cold and faint; but within her
there was a heroic strength.

She was not going to faint; she would make herself bear up. She was
going to do something to get Moses out of this snare,--but what? At last
they rose.

"It is past three o'clock," she heard one of them say.

"I say, Mo," said Atkinson, "you must make tracks for home, or you won't
be in bed when Mother Pennel calls you."

The men all laughed at this joke, as they turned to go on board the