"I--I paid it to Farmer Grice; I was obliged; and I thought I could
have put it back again; and some of it was my own!"
"Fivepence-farthing!" cried David. "You thief, you!"
The child's fists were clenched, and his young face all one scowl of
passion, quite shocking to see. His father put him aside, and said,
"Hush, David! no names.--Now, Henry, what do you say to your sister
for your false accusation, which has thrown your own shame on her?"
"Oh, no, no, Papa; he never did accuse me!" cried Bessie, for the
first time bursting into tears. "He never said I did it; that was
only Davie's fancy; and it has made Susie and Sam so kind, I have not
minded it at all. Please don't mind that, Papa!"
"Come away, Henry!" said the Captain; "now that your sister has been
cleared, we had better have the rest out of the sight of these
tender-hearted little girls."
He stood up, and without a word, stroked down Elizabeth's smooth
brown hair, raised her face up by the chin, and kissed her forehead,
the only place free from tears; then he took Henry by the shoulder,
and marched him out of the room.
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