man? I would," thought Tommy, though
his heart beat fast at the sight.

"I shall keep my word, and you must remember to tell the truth. Obey me,
Nat, take this and give me six good strokes."

Tommy was so staggered by this last speech that he nearly tumbled down
the bank, but saved himself, and hung onto the window ledge, staring in
with eyes as round as the stuffed owl's on the chimney-piece.

Nat took the rule, for when Mr. Bhaer spoke in that tone everyone obeyed
him, and, looking as scared and guilty as if about to stab his master,
he gave two feeble blows on the broad hand held out to him. Then
he stopped and looked up half-blind with tears, but Mr. Bhaer said
steadily:

"Go on, and strike harder."

As if seeing that it must be done, and eager to have the hard task soon
over, Nat drew his sleeve across his eyes and gave two more quick hard
strokes that reddened the hand, yet hurt the giver more.

"Isn't that enough?" he asked in a breathless sort of tone.

"Two more," was all the answer, and he gave them, hardly seeing where
they fell, then threw the rule all across the room, and hugging the kind
hand in both his own, laid his face down on it sobbing out in a passion
of love, and shame, and penitence:

"I will remember! Oh! I will!"

Then Mr. Bhaer put an arm about him, and said in a tone as compassionate
as it had just now been firm:

"I think you will. Ask the dear God to help you, and try to spare us
both another scene like this."

Tommy saw no more, for he crept back to the hall, looking so excited and
sober that the boys crowded round him to ask what was being done to Nat.

In a most impressive whisper Tommy told them, and they looked as if the
sky was about to fall, for this reversing the order of things almost
took their breath away.

"He made me do the same thing once," said Emil, as if confessing a crime
of the deepest dye.

"And you hit him? dear old Father Bhaer? By thunder, I'd just like
to see you do it now!" said Ned, collaring Emil in a fit of righteous
wrath.

"It was ever so long ago. I'd rather have my head cut off than do it
now," and Emil mildly laid Ned on his back instead of cuffing him, as he
would have felt it his duty to do on any less solemn occasion.

"How could you?" said Demi, appalled at the idea.

"I was hopping mad at the time, and thought I shouldn't mind a
bit, rather like it perhaps. But when I'd hit uncle one good crack,
everything he had ever done for me ca