Down the River; Or, Buck Bradford and His Tyrants

e that she was ashamed of herself, and would not repeat the dastardly act. I went to the barn to consider the situation. I felt just as though

trap upon me. He would delay his vengeance till some circumstances conspired against me, and then come down upon me with the whole weight of his malignity. I det

ing Ham? I answered this question in the affirmative, deciding that I would not sulk, or make any unnecessary trouble to any one. I went in, and took my seat as usual at the table, by

wife; but Mrs. Fishley neglected to express her disapprobation of her spouse's carelessness, even in the mildest terms. All these things assured me that our host and hostess were busy thinki

r course; but I had no means of knowing. It seemed to me that otherwise father, mother, and son would have joined in a general jaw at me, as they had often done before. Whatever good or

ain Fishley, in an ugly, taunting tone, which as

s,

e up work altogether," sneered he, apparentl

ll I want is fair treatment for my sister and myself,"

e captain, more mildly. "You will go to the hotel in Riverport for him

in Wisconsin. I was rather pleased to have his company home on the lonely ride from Riverport,

k," said Ham Fishley, as

iliatory than I had heard him use within my remembrance.

aven't had time to black my boots yet. It's a pretty stylish party I'm going to, and I want to look

in that way, and glad to do it for you,"

. Doubtless those civil, polite words were an invention of the enemy, to win my compliance; and Ham, forgetting that I had not rebelled against the work, but only the tyrannical

y?" asked an ancient maiden lady, who entere

of it yet, Miss Larrabee,

to send me forty dollars; and I want the money awfully. I was going down to see Jim's folks, but I

erhaps the letter will come in to

's after bedtime. Ethan writ me the money would be here by to

se not since I've been postmaster," answered Captain Fishley,

see about it," replied Miss Larrabee, as she left the store, hopeful that the m

hat inclined to be "fast." He was rather a good-looking fellow-an exceedingly good-looking fellow in his own estimation. Being an only son, his father and mother were disposed to spoil him, though not even Ham wholly es

were pleasantly inclined towards him. Ham liked to take them out to ride, especially Squire Crofton's youngest daughter, in the stable-keeper's new buggy; but his fathe

s not. Ham was considered a young man. I was deemed a boy, not competent to go to

in the habit of doing, without grumbling, until October, but that I would not be treated like a dog any longer; I would take to the woods and live like a bear before I would stand it. My remarks were evidently very distasteful to my companion. He did not say

water," said Ham, as we approached a spring by the

of the wagon. He did not drink more than a sw

he rear of the wagon, behind the se

, I did not suspect any mischief. The first thing I knew after I had started the horse, the mail-bag came down upon my head with a force which made me see more stars than eve

this business. I'm going to know w

two minutes and a half," I replied, cho

nacity of his grip. Finally I doubled myself up, and came out of my coat. In the twinkling of an eye, I sprang upon him, and tumbled him out of the wagon, into the dirt of the road. Though he was a year older and two inches taller than I was, while he had been clerking it

m; while I, with the exception of being a little shaky about

s master yet, Ham?" I de

tarted, and I was obliged to abandon the field for a moment to attend to him, for the reins had fallen under