Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part, there all the honor lies.
Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow,
The rest is all but leather and prunella.
--Pope.
So conjured, Ishmael lifted his face and confronted his accusers. It was
truth and intellect encountering falsehood and stupidity. Who could
doubt the issue?
"Sir," said the boy, "if you will look into the pockets of that young
gentleman, Master Alfred, you will find the stolen fruit upon him."
Alfred Burghe started and turned to run. But the gentleman was too quick
to let him escape, and caught him by the arm.
"What, sir! Mr. Middleton, would you search me at his bidding? Search
the son of Commodore Burghe at the bidding of--nobody's son?" exclaimed
the youth, struggling to free himself, while the blood seemed ready to
burst from his red and swollen face.
"For your vindication, young sir! For your vindication," replied Mr.
Middleton, proceeding to turn out the young gentleman's pockets, when
lo! oranges, figs, and nuts rolled upon the ground.
"It is infamous--so it is!" exclaimed Master Alfred, mad with shame and
rage.
"Yes, it is infamous," sternly replied Mr. Middleton.
"I mean it is infamous to treat a commodore's son in this way!"
"And I mean it is infamous in anybody's son to behave as you have, sir!"
"I bought the things at Nutt's shop! I bought them with my own money!
They are mine! I never touched your things. That fellow did! He took
them, and then told falsehoods about it."
"Sir," said Ishmael, "if you will examine that bundle, lying under that
bush, you will find something there to prove which of us two speaks the
truth."
Master Alfred made a dash for the bundle; but again Mr. Middleton was
too quick for him, and caught it up. It was a red bandanna silk
handkerchief stuffed full of parcels and tied at the corners. The
handkerchief had the name of Alfred Burghe on one corner; the small
parcel of nuts and raisins it contained were at once recognized by Mr.
Middleton as his own.
"Oh, sir, sir!" began that gentleman severely, turning upon the detected
culprit; but the young villain was at bay!
"Well?" he growled in defiance; "what now? what's all the muss about?
Those parcels were what I took off his person when he was running away
with them. Didn't I, Ben?"
Ben grumbled some inaudible answer, which Alfred assumed to be assent,
for he immediately added: "And I tied them up in my handkerchief to give them back to you. Didn't
I, Ben?"
Ben mumbled something or other.
"And then I beat him for stealing. Didn't I, Ben?"
"Yes, you beat him," sulkily answered the younger brother.