mail every
evening; and I thought you rather liked that," he added; and he wore a
look of astonishment and indignation.

"I did like it; but I had to work in the garden, feed the pigs, make the
fires, do chores about the house, run of errands, and work in the store.
I was kept busy from morning till night."

"That wasn't the bargain I made with them."

"I wouldn't have made any row about the work, if they hadn't treated me
so meanly. Ham used me like a dog, and ordered me around as though I had
been his nigger servant. It was 'Buck, do this,' and 'Buck, do that, and
be quick about it.' It was 'Buck, black my boots,' in surly tones."

"Black his boots!" exclaimed Clarence.

"Yes, black his boots; and I was fool enough to do it until I found I
only got kicked for minding. Mrs. Fishley used to snarl at me from
morning till night. I never did anything right, and was never in the
place where I ought to be. But, Clarence, I should have staid there, I
suppose, till the time you named, if they had not abused Flora."

"Flora!" said he, knitting his brow, as he glanced at her.

I told him that our female tyrant had actually shaken her several times,
to say nothing of the constant scolding to which she was subjected. He
was indignant, and assured me, if he had supposed the case was half as
bad as I had represented, he should have hastened to Torrentville and
removed us at once. He thought my complaints were simply boyish
dissatisfaction, and the situation nothing more than simply unpleasant.

"But you haven't told the worst of the story," interposed Mr. Goodridge.

"I will tell that now, for it was the final cause of our leaving," I
continued. "A certain gentleman, whose name I cannot mention, gave me
one hundred dollars for something I did for him."

"Who was he?" asked Clarence.

"I can't tell you, or anybody, who he was. About this time Ham Fishley
robbed a letter of forty dollars, and when the money was missed, he laid
it to me."

"How do you know he did it?" demanded Clarence.

"I saw him do it. I saw him break the seal, take out the money, and burn
the letter;" and I explained fully the circumstances. "Ham saw me
counting my money, and his father wanted me to tell where I got it. I
couldn't do that. They sent for a constable; but I took to the swamp.
Now, I had either to tell where I got the money,--which I couldn't
do,--or go to jail. Instead of doing either, I took Flora on the raft
with me, and came down t