822 A Yankee Man- Trap. [July, 



in the bitterness of his soul, as this crowning misery rose afresh in his 

 mind. 



It is no wonder that he was seriously displeased ; for the British, then 

 maintaining a strict blockade upon Commodore Decatur, who, with the 

 frigates United States and JMacedonian, and the brig-of-war Hornet, had 

 run up the river Thames, had that day made prize of a certain small 

 craft, in which, together with her cargo, was invested a full moiety of 

 his private worldly goods. 



Nevertheless, with continuous whittling and many quaint execrations, 

 home went Ethan, and told his sad tale to his parents, who sympathized 

 with him, and were grieved. 



" Who wuz there in the boat, Ethan ?" asked Mr. Balch, senior. 



" That's the wust on't, father," said the junior gentleman. " I've 

 got to go'n' tell Marthy Bobbins ; and what on 'arth she'll say, I do' no. 

 They wuz Peleg and Zack Bobbins ; and them darned everlastin' rotted 

 pizen cusses has got 'em, and the boat besides, and sarse enough to keep 

 the fleet a week." 



" Wal, my son," said the old gentleman, " I rather guess you'd better 

 go right over 'n tell her, and hev it done with. She'll take on some at 

 fust, that's sartin ; but the boys '11 come back some time 'r anuther, 

 'n' Mioses Bobbins kin come 'n' stay with us, ef they 're a mind to. I 

 guess we could 'tend up to that 'ere little farm, a while." 



Eor Mrs. Bobbins, the widowed mother of "Marthy," and of Peleg 

 and Zacharia, owned and occupied, with her children, a small farm near 

 by, and carried on the same ; and the capture of her two stout sons had, 

 of course, left the farm quite bare of men. 



Ethan walked moodily over to Mrs. Bobbins' house. He was wel- 

 comed warmly by the two women, but received their greeting with so 

 much embarrassment, that they perceived that something was wrong. 



" What on 'arth's the matter with ye Ethan ? " asked the old lady, 

 cocking back her head so that she could peer at him through the spec- 

 tacles which usually abode some ways down her nose ; "you're shorter 'n 

 pie-crust, seems to me." 



*' Perhaps," said Miss Bobbins, with a small smirk, " he didn't want 

 to come. 'Taint necessary to come here unless you enjoy it. Mister Balch." 



" Well, well ! " expostulated the disconsolate Yankee, " don't go to 

 plaguin' a man when he's in trouble a'ready. I didnt want to come, 

 and it's the fust time ; and you know it, Marthy. But 'tvvasu't cos I 

 wasn't glad to see you.'^ 



" I s'p^se I might jest as well out with it. Them darned British has 

 ketched the boat, and Peleg and Zack along with it." 



