y cousin, "he knows not what he sayeth."

"You can pray if you like," I said, "but if you're going to cheek me in
your prayers I draw the line."

The last I remember of that great discussion was my cousin deploring the
fact that he "should ever sleep in the same bed with an Infidel!"

The next day he astonished me by telling the whole business to his
father. This was quite outside all my codes. Uncle Nicodemus sprang it
upon me at the midday meal.

"You been sayin' queer things, George," he said abruptly. "You better
mind what you're saying."

"What did he say, father?" said Mrs. Frapp.

"Things I couldn't' repeat," said he.

"What things?" I asked hotly.

"Ask 'IM," said my uncle, pointing with his knife to his informant,
and making me realise the nature of my offence. My aunt looked at the
witness. "Not--?" she framed a question.

"Wuss," said my uncle. "Blarsphemy."

My aunt couldn't touch another mouthful. I was already a little troubled
in my conscience by my daring, and now I began to feel the black
enormity of the course upon which I had embarked.

"I was only talking sense," I said.

I had a still more dreadful moment when presently I met my cousin in the
brick alley behind the yard, that led back to his grocer's shop.

"You sneak!" I said, and smacked his face hard forthwith. "Now then,"
said I.

He started back, astonished and alarmed. His eyes met mine, and I saw a
sudden gleam of resolution. He turned his other cheek to me.

"'It 'it," he said."'It 'it. I'LL forgive you."

I felt I had never encountered a more detestable way of evading a
licking. I shoved him against the wall and left him there, forgiving me,
and went back into the house.

"You better not speak to your cousins, George," said my aunt, "till
you're in a better state of mind."

I became an outcast forthwith. At supper that night a gloomy silence was
broken by my cousin saying,

"'E 'it me for telling you, and I turned the other cheek, muvver."

"'E's got the evil one be'ind 'im now, a ridin' on 'is back," said my
aunt, to the grave discomfort of the eldest girl, who sat beside me.

After supper my uncle, in a few ill-chosen words, prayed me to repent
before I slept.

"Suppose you was took in your sleep, George," he said; "where'd you
be then? You jest think of that me boy." By this time I was thoroughly
miserable and frightened, and this suggestion unnerved me dreadfully but
I kept up an impenitent front. "To wake in