A Day of Punishment 



my lips more significantly than civilly. 

 ''All right, old fellow," I thought ; '' if you 

 don't know /';;/ not going to tell you." 



^ Mr. Blocker drew his turnip watch from 

 his fob and laid it, with a little clatter of 

 its seal and charms, on the desk before him. 

 *' I give you two minutes," he said. 



There was an absolute silence ; the boys 

 even refrained from giggling, so keen were 

 they to lose no breath or syllable of the 

 torture. Mr. Blocker looked at his watch, 

 then at me, and his face grew ominously 

 red ; he was a very passionate old man, 

 and yet, in some ways, a good sort of 

 fellow. 



"If you obstinately insist in holding 

 your tongue. Master Hyde, I shall pro"^ 

 ceed to punish you without further parley." 

 He felt about in his desk for something, 

 and found it— a little strap with a buckle at 

 one end. 



''Hold out your hand, sir." I held it 

 out as steady as I could, for I was mad lest 

 the boys should take the tremble of anger 

 for that of fear. And, indeed, I was angry ; 

 I was like to have choked with the beating 

 of my fierce little heart. That my people 

 should have told tales about me, instead of 

 punishing me themselves, that they should 

 have gone about to disgrace me 'without 

 T45 K 



