have him scold me before the impudent boy. Of
course, he enjoyed it, and I suppose he will think he can be impudent
to me again."

"No doubt. I will speak to your father about it. He really shouldn't
be so inconsiderate. But what is that stain on your coat, Godfrey? I
should think you had been down on your back on the ground."

"Oh," said Godfrey, rather embarrassed, "I happened to slip as I was
wrestling with the fellow, and fell on my back. However, I was up
again directly and gave it to him, I can tell you. If father hadn't
stopped me I'd have laid him out," he continued, in a swaggering tone.

It will be seen that Godfrey did not always confine himself to the
truth. Indeed, he found it rather hard at all times to admit either
that he had been in the wrong or had been worsted. Even if his mother
sometimes suspected that his accounts were a trifle distorted, she
forbore to question their accuracy. Mother and son had a sort of tacit
compact by which they stood by each other, and made common cause
against Colonel Preston.

"Don't you know the boy? Doesn't he live in the neighborhood?" asked
Mrs. Preston, after a pause.

"He's just come into the town, but I'll tell you who he is. He's the
son of that woman that comes to work for you once a week."

"Mrs. Burke?"

"Yes; he told me that his name was Andy Burke."

"He ought to know his place too well to be impudent to one in your
position."

"So I think."

"I shall speak to Mrs. Burke about her son's bad behavior."

"I wish you'd discharge her. That's a good way to punish the boy."

"I shouldn't object to doing that, Godfrey, but Mrs. Burke is a
capital hand at ironing shirts. Yours and your father's never looked
so nice as they have since she has been here."

Godfrey looked a little discontented. Being essentially mean, he
thought it would be an excellent plan to strike the son through the
mother.

"You might threaten her, mother, a little. Tell her to make her boy
behave himself, or you'll discharge her."

"I will certainly speak to her on the subject, Godfrey."

At the table Mrs. Preston introduced the subject of Godfrey's wrongs.

"I am surprised, Mr. Preston, that you took part against Godfrey when
he was rudely assaulted this morning."

"I thought Godfrey in the wrong, my dear. That was my reason."

"You generally appear to think your own son in the wrong. You are
ready to take part with any stranger against him," said Mrs. Preston,
in a compl