pping the volume in his lap, and
looking up with a slightly flushed, but sullen face.

"Did n't you hear me when I first spoke?" said Mr. Belknap, angrily.

"Yes, sir."

"Then, why did n't you answer me? Always respond when you are spoken
to. I'm tired of this ill-mannered, disrespectful way of yours."

The boy stood up, looking, now, dogged, as well as sullen.

"Go get your hat and jacket." This was said in a tone of command,
accompanied by a side toss of the head, by the way of enforcing the
order.

"What for?" asked John Thomas, not moving a pace from where he
stood.

"Go and do what I tell you. Get your hat and jacket."

The boy moved slowly and with a very reluctant air from the room.

"Now, don't be all day," Mr. Belknap called after him, "I'm in a
hurry. Move briskly."

How powerless the father's words died upon the air. The motions of
John Thomas were not quickened in the slightest degree. Like a
soulless automaton passed he out into the passage and up the stairs;
while the impatient Mr. Belknap could with difficulty restrain an
impulse to follow after, and hasten the sulky boy's movements with
blows. He controlled himself, however, and resumed the perusal of
his newspaper. Five, ten minutes passed, and John Thomas had not yet
appeared to do the errand upon which his father designed to send
him. Suddenly Mr. Belknap dropped his paper, and going hastily to
the bottom of the stairs, called out:

"You John! John Thomas!"

"Sir!" came a provokingly indifferent voice from one of the
chambers.

"Did n't I tell you to hurry--say?"

"I can't find my jacket."

"You don't want to find it. Where did you lay it when you took it
off last night?"

"I don't know. I forget."

"If you're not down here, with your jacket on, in one minute, I'll
warm your shoulders well for you."

Mr. Belknap was quite in earnest in this threat, a fact plainly
enough apparent to John Thomas in the tone of his father's voice.
Not just wishing to have matters proceed to this extremity, the boy
opened a closet, and, singularly enough, there hung his jacket in
full view. At the expiration of the minute, he was standing before
his disturbed father, with his jacket on, and buttoned up to the
chin.

"Where's your hat?" now asked Mr. Belknap.

"I don't know, sir."

"Well, find it, then."

"I've looked everywhere."

"Look again. There! What is that on the hat rack, just under my
coat?"

The boy answered not, but walked mo