you are
angry with us, because we both drank too much when we were last in your
company; but we promise--don't we father?--not to do so again."

This judicious reply of young Tom's put the Dominie more at his ease;
what he most feared was raillery and exposure on their parts.

"Very true, old gentleman; Tom and I did bowse our jibs up a little too
taut when we last met--but what then?--there was the grog, and there was
nothing to do."

"All human natur'," observed Stapleton.

"Come, sir, you have not said one word to me," said Mary, going up to
the Dominie. "Now you must sit down by me, and take care of me, and see
that they all behave themselves and keep sober."

The Dominie cast a look at Mary, which was intended for her alone, but
which was not unperceived by young Tom or me. "We shall have some fun,
Jacob," said he, aside, as we all sat down to the table, which just
admitted six, with close stowage. The Dominie on one side of Mary, Tom
on the other, Stapleton next to Tom, then I and old Tom, who closed in
on the other side of the Dominie, putting one of his timber toes on the
old gentleman's corns, which induced him to lift up his leg in a hurry,
and draw his chair still closer to Mary, to avoid a repetition of the
accident; while old Tom was axing pardon, and Stapleton demonstrating
that, on the part of old Tom, not to _feel_ with a wooden leg, and on
the part of the Dominie, to _feel_ with a bad corn, was all nothing but
"_human natur'_." At last we were all seated, and Mary, who had
provided for the evening, produced two or three pots of beer, a bottle
of spirits, pipes, and tobacco.

"Liberty Hall--I smokes," said Stapleton, lighting his pipe, and falling
back on his chair.

"I'll put a bit of clay in my mouth too," followed up old Tom; "it makes
one thirsty, and enjoy one's liquor."

"Well, I malts," said Tom, reaching a pot of porter, and taking a long
pull. "What do you do, Jacob?"

"I shall wait a little, Tom."

"And what do you do, sir?" said Mary to the Dominie. The Dominie shook
his head. "Nay but you must--or I shall think you do not like my
company. Come, let me fill a pipe for you." Mary filled a pipe, and
handed it to the Dominie, who hesitated, looked at her, and was
overcome. He lighted it, and smoked furiously.

"The ice is breaking up--we shall have a change of weather--the moon
quarters to-morrow," observed old Tom, puffing between every
observation; "and then honest men m