ness, and let other people's
quarrels alone." And, suiting his action to his words, he struck Mike
in the face so hard that the blood ran from his nose in a stream.

Well, what do you think Mike did, then? I know what some boys would
have done, if they had been in his place. They would have struck
Jacob, at any cost. That is the way they would have taken their
revenge. That is the way, indeed, that Mike's school-fellows advised
him to take his revenge. Half a dozen of them, at least, surrounded
him, and urged him to flog Jacob.

"I'd pay him off for it," said one.

"The rascal!" said another. "I'd make him smart for it."

"And we'll all stand by you," said one, "if you'll flog him."

"Mike wasn't a bit to blame, either," added another. "If I were in his
place, if I wouldn't make Jake see stars, then--"

The remainder of the speech was lost to every body but the speaker, as
all the boys, by this time, were talking at once. It is a wonder to
me that they did not take the matter altogether into their own hands,
and give Jake the flogging which they thought he so richly deserved;
for Michael was a great favorite among them, and they could not bear
to see him abused. But I believe they contented themselves with
letting off ever so many vials of wrath, in the shape of words; and
Jake Grumble, finding how matters stood, walked sulkily away.

"Now, Mike, what are you going to do?" asked one of the boys.

"Do about what?" asked the injured boy.

"About the bloody nose that Jake gave you," was the reply.

"I'm going to see if I can't stop its bleeding," said Mike.

"No, I don't mean that," said the other. "I mean what are you going to
do to Jake?"

"Oh," said Mike, "I guess I'll pay him off, one of these days."

"And why not now?" the boy asked.

"I've got as much on my hands as I can attend to, just now," said
Mike.

How do you suppose Jake felt, that day, after his cruel treatment of
one of his playmates? What do you suppose were his feelings, when he
found out what all the boys thought of his conduct; and when he had
time to reflect upon the folly and wickedness of what he had done?
Perhaps you can guess pretty well how he felt. Possibly you have
yourself wronged some one of your playmates, and recollect how you
felt about it, when you had a chance to get away somewhere, alone, to
think over your conduct. If so, you can give a pretty rational guess
as to the kind of feelings that were at work in Jake's bosom,