96 BRAGGADOCIO.

After supper, he asked the children to give
him an account of the adventures of the day.
They did so. When Tom told how George
Cramer had insulted them, Bran Mixon started
from his arm-chair, and exclaimed so furiously,
“Why didn’t you thrash the young villain?”
that Sancho started from his nap, and growled
fiercely.

“Father, dear father,” said Bessie, ‘ don’t
be angry. I begged Tom not to fight; and
told him what our good mother used to say
about revenging an injury. It was as much as
I could do to keep him from thrashing the
boy.”

“You are right—you are right, my good
little Bess; I should have lost my place if he
had hurt that naughty little Cramer,” said
Mixon, settling again into his arm-chair.

“ Besides, father, I don’t know whether we
really have any right to occupy the island. I
will go to Rose Lawn and ask Mr. Cramer my-
self, to-morrow, whether we can go there when
we choose.”

“You go, my little Bessie; you would