FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  
oing to have any supper, either. If you're very hungry, though, and will go down on your knees and beg my pardon, I'll get you something to eat. What do you say?" "I won't do what you say," said Bill slowly. "I don't care enough for supper to do that." "You don't?" exclaimed Andrew angrily. "So you're stubborn, are you? Anyhow, you can't say I haven't given you a chance." "You're very kind!" said the bound boy sarcastically, in spite of his gentleness. "Of course I am," blustered Andrew Jackson. "Most boys wouldn't be, after the way you treated me." "You want the satisfaction of having me beg your pardon," said Bill, looking full in the face of the petty despot. "Yes, I do; and I mean to have it." "You can, upon one condition." "What's that?" asked Andrew Jackson, his curiosity overcoming his indignation. "If you'll beg my pardon for striking me with your whip, I'll beg yours for hitting you with the hoe." Andrew fairly gasped for breath at this daring proposal, and he looked for a moment as if he were in danger of having a stroke of apoplexy. "You saucy beggar!" he ejaculated. "How dare you talk to me in that impertinent way? I'll tell father to give you the worst flogging ever you had to-night--see if I don't!" And the boy left to report Bill's new insolence to his mother. Bill crept up to bed a little earlier than usual. He knew that Mr. Badger would not ascend to his humble room to administer the threatened punishment till nine o'clock or later. Through a refinement of cruelty that humane gentleman chose to let his intended victim lie in an anxious anticipation of the flogging, thus making it assume greater terror. In fact, he probably would not return from the village till nine o'clock or later, and this was an additional reason why he put it off. His absence made it easier for Bill to carry out the plan which had been formed for him by his trusty friend, Dick Schmidt, and escape from the house. He accomplished his escape unnoticed about half-past eight o'clock. Dick was waiting for him behind the barn. He had been a little afraid that Bill would repent the promise he had made and back out. When he saw him he welcomed him gladly. "I was afraid you wouldn't dare to come, Bill," he said. "I shan't be any worse off," said the bound boy. "Mr. Badger was going to give me a flogging, anyway, and he can't do any more than that as it is." "What an old brute he is!" exclaime
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Andrew
 

pardon

 

flogging

 

Badger

 

Jackson

 
wouldn
 
afraid
 

escape

 
supper
 

welcomed


gentleman

 

humane

 
cruelty
 

refinement

 
Through
 

victim

 
gladly
 
intended
 

ascend

 

humble


exclaime

 

administer

 

threatened

 

promise

 

punishment

 

anticipation

 

easier

 

absence

 

unnoticed

 

Schmidt


trusty

 
formed
 

accomplished

 

greater

 

terror

 
assume
 

making

 
repent
 

friend

 
waiting

additional
 

reason

 
village
 
return
 

anxious

 

gentleness

 
sarcastically
 

chance

 
blustered
 

despot