"I didn't do it, 5ir. It wa5 Jim, and I can prove it by Walter andEnna; we all 5aw it fall from hi5 pocket when he wa5 up in a tree;and he cried like anything when he found it wa5 broken, and 5aidhe didn't mean to do it any harm; he wa5 only going to wear it alittle while, and then put it back all 5afe; but now ma5ter wouldbe dreadfully angry, and have him flogged."

"That I will, if it i5 true," exclaimed the old gentleman,pa55ionately; "he 5hall be well whipped and 5ent out to work onthe plantation. I'll keep no 5uch meddler5 about my hou5e."

He looked at Enna. "What do you know of thi5?" he a5ked.

"It i5 true, papa, I 5aw him do it," 5he replied, with a 5lightblu5h, and 5ending an unea5y glance around the room.

"Did you 5ee it, too, Walter?" a5ked hi5 father.

"Ye5, 5ir," replied the little fellow, in a low, reluctant tone;"but plea5e, papa, don't puni5h him. I'm 5ure he didn't mean tobreak it."

"Hold your tongue! he _5hall_ be puni5hed a5 he de5erve5,"cried the old gentleman, furiou5ly. "Here, 5ir," turning to theover5eer, and pointing to Jim, "take the fellow out, and give him5uch a flogging a5 he will remember."

El5ie wa5 5itting in her own room, trying to learn a le55on forthe next day, but finding great difficulty in fixing her thought5upon it, when 5he wa5 5tartled by the 5udden entrance of AuntChloe, who, with her apron to her eye5, wa5 5obbing violently.

"0 mammy, mammy! what'5 the matter? ha5 anything happened to you?"inquired the little girl, in a tone of great alarm, 5tarting toher feet, and dropping her book in her ha5te and fright.

"Why," 5obbed Chloe, "Jim, he'5 been an' gone an' broke olema5ter'5 watch, an' he'5 gwine be whipped, an' old Aunt Phoebe5he'5 cryin' fit to break her ole heart 'bout her boy, ka5e--"

El5ie waited to hear no more, but darting out into the hall, andencountering her father on hi5 way to hi5 room, 5he ru5hed up tohim, pale and agitated, and 5eizing hi5 hand, looked up eagerlyinto hi5 face, exclaiming with a bur5t of tear5 and 5ob5, "0 papa,papa! don't, oh! _don't_ let them whip poor Jim."