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Mr. Phillips answered, "After the Tuckers were removed to the poor-house, we tore down what remained of the old structure, and under the floor, near the hearth, whence I conclude it must have escaped from them through the holes in the floor-boards, I discovered it among the stones and rubbish, and took it home to my wife."

"For which God be thanked," said the old man. "It is He who bringeth to naught the devices of the wicked. I came here to make oath before Mr. Haddock, who is a Justice of the Peace, to the statements you have heard. I am now ready to do so, if thought best in regard to the box and paper contained in it."

"I think it would be as well," said Mr. Haddock.

"By all means," said Mr. Rodman.

"It would be proper," said Mr. Phillips.

Mr. Rodman and his wife began to be much interested in this account, although as old Mr. Warren had not, in his previous interview with them, mentioned the name of Jims' father, they did not feel all the interest in it they subsequently came to do.

"Before we take this step," said Mr. Haddock, "let us see the document itself."

"To be sure," said Mr. Warren, handing the box to Mr. Haddock, who opened it and withdrew the paper.

"Will you read it, sir?"

"No, sir, I think you may as well read it yourself," said Mr. Warren.

And so Mr. Haddock read as follows:

"Call my baby JAMES, after his father. This is the dying request of his mother; and let him know he had a true and kind father, and a mother who loved him to the last. Crampton, January 15, 183-. JULIA CARLILE SHERMAN."

"My God!" exclaimed Mrs. Rodman, and bursting into a flood of tears, was borne by her husband to a sofa almost insensible, and quite incapable for some time of further utterance than that of grief. The whole company were astonished and overwhelmed. Mr. Haddock ran for camphor, and the ladies fanned her. Mr. Rodman was too much occupied to explain, and all were in doubt about the cause of her emotion, except, perhaps, old Mr. Warren, when she regained her composure sufficiently to sit up and lean upon her husband. Presently she said:

"Ladies, that poor, neglected child, is the son of my own cousin, Julia Carlile 1 I knew," she continued, "there was something uncommonly interesting to me in the boy -- and we came here this day to offer to take him from the town and educate him."

"Now of course we shall do that, my dear!" said her husband, with a smile of true and earnest sympathy.

Mrs. Rodman repaid this expression of her husband's interest and divination of her thoughts by a kind pressure of his hand.

"Thank you," said she, "I knew you would feel and say so."

"Oh, yes!" said all as with one breath. "And now Jims will have a home!"

The whole company now passed an hour in the most rapid conversation on the subject, and only broke off when it was concluded best for Mr. Haddock, Mr. Rodman, and Mr. Phillips to ride over to the poor-house and make arrangements with Captain Bunce for the removal of the boy.

* * * * * *

"But what is this!" said the astonished and excited Mr. Haddock, "and what does this mean?" said Mr. Phillips and Mr. Rodman, as they approached the bed of Jims and saw the red lines on his arms and shoulders, received by the boy at the hands of Captain Bunce.

"It's only a flogging the boy's had," shrieked Mag Davies.

"Only a flogging!" said Mr. Haddock.

"That's all! and that's enough, ain't it?" she cried.

"How is this, Jims?" inquired Mr. Haddock.

"Oh! it's nothing, sir," said the boy, "I'm better now. The Captain got rather high against us for stealing one of his roosters last night, and though we got it for the scurvy folks here. Bill and Cowles and widow Prescott, he took the pay out of my hide -- but I don't care, it's all about well now," and the boy jumped to his feet and walked about as usual.

"But," said Mr. Haddock, "this won't do, Jims; it's not right to beat you so."

"No," said Jims, "nor to steal his chickens, ha! ha!"

"Well, I guess Dan give it to him," cried Mag.

"'Give it' to who, pray?" he asked.

"The old Captain, ah! ah! Dan knocked him over with his fist, ha 1 ha! ha! head and heels, didn't he, Rox?"

"Ha! ha! ha!" shouted Roxy. "Yes, he did."

"Didn't hurt the old c--," grumbled that worthy from a corner. "Do him some good I hope though."

"Where is the Captain?" inquired Mr. Haddock.

"Gone to bed drunk, I'll bet a thousand dollars," said Mag.

"Yes," said old Tucker. "He'll not show himself again to-day."

This was a painful interview to all, and it was especially so to Mr. Rodman. Sad was it to contemplate the life the child had led there to this its culminating point 1 Sad to know that in the neglected state into which he had been cast, he had acquired habits that might never cease their ravages upon his moral being; sad to see him marked and dishonored thus with the rod of a tyrant, and distressing to bear him in this condition into the presence of his newly-found relatives and friends.

Mr. Haddock succeeded in finding Captain Bunce, but not in a condition to be reasoned with, and he left him saying, they would take away the boy and the town would be released from his further support.