of discussing men and things, by
playing cards on a particular stump. Now, it happens that the captain
had the identical pack which had been used on all such occasions in
his pocket, as was evident in the fact that the cards were nearly as
distinctly marked on their backs, as on their faces. These cards he
showed secretly to his companion, and when the attention of Mrs.
Abbott was altogether engaged in expecting the terrible announcement
of her daughter's errors, the captain slipped them, kings, queens and
knaves, high, low, jack and the game, without regard to rank, into
the lady's work-basket. As soon as this feat was successfully
performed, a sign was given to the commodore that the conspiracy was
effected, and that disputant in theology gradually began to give
ground, while he continued to maintain that jumping the rope was a
sin, though it might be one of a nominal class. There is little
doubt, had he possessed a smattering of phrases, a greater command of
biblical learning, and more zeal, that the fisherman might have
established a new shade of the Christian faith; for, while mankind
still persevere in disregarding the plainest mandates of God, as
respects humility, the charities, and obedience, nothing seems to
afford them more delight than to add to the catalogue of the offences
against his divine supremacy. It was perhaps lucky for the commodore,
who was capital at casting a pickerel line, but who usually settled
his polemics with the fist, when hard pushed, that Captain Truck
found leisure to come to the rescue.

"I'm amazed, ma'am," said the honest packet-master, "that a woman of
your sanctity should deny that jumping the rope is a sin, for I hold
that point to have been settled by all our people, these fifty years.
You will admit that the rope cannot be well-jumped without levity."

"Levity, Captain Truck! I hope you do not insinuate that a daughter
of mine discovers levity?"

"Certainly, ma'am; she is called the best rope jumper in the village,
I hear; and levity, or lightness of carriage, is the great requisite
for skill in the art. Then there are 'vain repetitions' in doing the
same thing over and over so often, and 'vain repetitions' are
forbidden even in our prayers. I can call both father and mother to
testify to that fact."

"Well, this is news to me! I must speak to the minister about it."

"Of the two, the skipping-rope is rather more sinful than dancing,
for the music makes the latter easy;