porarily lamed, time after time,
every one of his dogs, and Dick having twice beaten two of his black
boys, farm-hands, because of some slight offence. To be revenged on him
for this, he robbed a fine apricot-tree of all its fruit, both green
and ripe, on the very night before Mr. Acres had promised to send a
basket full, the first produced in the neighbourhood that spring, to a
friend who was very much esteemed by him.

Though he strongly suspected Dick, yet he had no proof of the fact, and
so made no attempt to have him punished.

Shortly after, the boy was apprenticed to a tanner and currier, a severe
man, chosen as his master in the hope that his rigid discipline might do
something towards reclaiming him. As the tanner had as many dogs as he
wanted, he objected to the reception into his yard of Dick's ill-natured
cur. But Dick told his mother that, unless Rover were allowed to go with
him, he would not go to the trade selected for him. He was resolute in
this, and at last Mrs. Lawson persuaded Mr. Skivers, the tanner, to take
him, dog and all.

In his new place he did not get along, except for a very short time,
without trouble. At the end of the third month, for neglect of work,
bad language, and insolence, but particularly for cruelties practised
upon a dog that had gotten the mastery over Rover, Mr. Skivers gave him
a most tremendous beating. Dick resisted, and fought with might and
main, but he was but a boy, and in the hands of a strong and determined
man. For a time this cowed Dick, but in the same ratio that his courage
fell when he thought of resisting his master single-handed, rose his
bitter hate against him. Skivers was a man who, if he had reason to
dislike any one about him, could not let his feelings remain quiescent.
He must be doing something all the while to let the victim of his
displeasure feel that he was no favourite. Towards Dick, he therefore
maintained the most offensive demeanour, and was constantly saying or
doing something to chafe the boy's feelings. This was borne as patiently
as possible, for he did not again wish to enter into a contention in
which he must inevitably get severely beaten. Skivers was not long in
perceiving that the way to punish Dick the most severely was to abuse
his dog; and he, therefore, commenced a systematic process of worrying
Rover. This Dick could illy bear. Every time his master would drive
Rover from the yard, or throw sticks or stones at him, the boy would