hemence; "and I shall be cutting my throat--nay," striking his fist on
the table, "I will!"

"You don't say so!" exclaimed Huckaback, apprehensively. "No, Titmouse,
don't--don't think of it; it will all come right yet, depend on't; you
see if it don't!"

"Oh, no, it's all done for--it's all up with me!"

"But _what's_ been done?--let us hear," said Huckaback, as he passed a
wet towel to and fro over his ensanguined features. It was by this time
clear that the storm which had for some time given out only a few faint
fitful flashes or flickerings in the distance, had passed away.
Titmouse, with many grievous sighs, took out the letter which had
produced the paroxysms I have been describing, and read it aloud. "And
only see how they've spelled your name, Huckaback--look!" he added,
handing his friend the letter.

"How _partic'lar_ vulgar!" exclaimed Huckaback, with a contemptuous air,
which, overspreading his features, half-closed as was his left eye, and
swollen as were his cheek and nose, would have made him a queer object
to one who had leisure to observe such matters. "And so _this_ is all
they say of _me_," he continued. "How do you come to know that I've been
doing you mischief? All I did was just to look in, as respectful as
possible, to ask how you was, and they very civilly told me you was very
well, and we parted"----

"Nay, now, that's a lie, Huckaback, and you know it!" interrupted
Titmouse.

"It's true, so help me----!" vehemently asseverated Huckaback.

"Why, perhaps you'll deny that you wrote and told me all you said,"
interrupted Titmouse, indignantly, feeling in his pocket for Huckaback's
letter, which that worthy had at the moment quite forgotten having sent,
and on being reminded of it, he certainly seemed rather nonplussed.
"Oh--ay, if you mean _that_--hem!"--he stammered.

"Come, you _know_ you're a liar, Huck--but it's no good now: liar or no
liar, it's all over."

"The pot and kettle, anyhow, Tit, as far as that goes--hem!--but let's
spell over this letter; we haven't studied it yet; I'm a hand, rather,
at getting at what's said in a letter!--Come"--and they drew their
chairs together, Huckaback reading over the letter slowly, alone;
Titmouse's eyes travelling incessantly from his friend's countenance to
the letter, and so back again, to gather what might be the effect of its
perusal.

"There's a glimpse of daylight yet, Titty!" said Huckaback, as he
concluded reading it.

"No! But is