o on so? Not a bit of sleep have I
had this blessed night, and the mistress in strong hystrikes all the
evening. Where have you been?"

Ned gave a grunt at the news of his mother's hysterics--a grunt which
clearly expressed "served her right," but he only answered the last part
of the question.

"I have been up at Varley, and slept at the schoolhouse. Bill Swinn and
Polly Powlett made me up a bed and got me tea and breakfast. I am right
enough."

"But you shouldn't have gone away, Master Ned, in that style, leaving us
to wait and worry ourselves out of our senses."

"Do you know what she told me, Abijah? Wasn't it enough to make any
fellow mad?"

"Ay, ay," the nurse said. "I know. I have seen it coming months ago; but
it wasn't no good for me to speak. Ay, lad, it's a sore trouble for you,
surely a sore trouble for you, and for us all; but it ain't no manner
of use for you to set yourself agin it. Least said sooner mended, Master
Ned; in a case like this it ain't no good your setting yourself up agin
the missis. She ain't strong in some things, but she's strong enough in
her will, and you ought to know by this time that what she sets her mind
on she gets. It were so allus in the captain's time, and if he couldn't
change her, poor patient lamb--for if ever there were a saint on arth
he was that--you may be sure that you can't. So try and take it quietly,
dearie. It be main hard for ye, and it ain't for me to say as it isn't;
but for the sake of peace and quiet, and for the sake of the little
ones, Master Ned, it's better for you to take it quiet. If I thought as
it would do any good for you to make a fuss I wouldn't be agin it: but
it ain't, you know, and it will be worse for you all if you sets him
agin you to begin with. Now go up and see your mother, dearie, afore you
goes off to school. I have just taken her up her tea."

"I have got nothing to say to her," Ned growled.

"Yes, you have, Master Ned; you have got to tell her you hopes she will
be happy. You can do that, you know, with a clear heart, for you do hope
so. Fortunately she didn't see him yesterday; for when he called I told
him she was too ill to see him, and a nice taking she was in when I told
her he had been and gone; but I didn't mind that, you know, and it was
better she shouldn't see him when she was so sore about the words you
had said to her. It ain't no use making trouble aforehand, or setting
him agin you. He knows, I reckon, as he won't b