When Mrs. Ellis made her appearance on the day subsequent to the events just narrated, Mrs. Thomas enlarged to her upon the serious damage that aunt Rachel had received, and the urgent necessity that something should be done to mollify that important individual.  When Charlie was brought into the presence of his mother and Mrs. Thomas, the latter informed him, that, wicked as had been his conduct towards herself, she was willing, for his mother’s sake, to look over it; but that he must humble himself in dust and ashes before the reigning sovereign of the culinary kingdom, who, making the most of the injury inflicted on her toe, had declared herself unfit for service, and was at that moment ensconced in a large easy-chair, listening to the music of her favourite smoke-jack, whilst a temporary cook was getting up the dinner, under her immediate supervision and direction.  “Charlie, I’m quite ashamed of you,” said his mother, after listening to Mrs. Thomas’s lengthy statement.  “What has come over you, child?”—­Charlie stood biting his nails, and looking very sullen, but vouchsafed them no answer.—­“Mrs. Thomas is so kind as to forgive you, and says she will look over the whole affair, if you will beg aunt Rachel’s pardon.  Come, now,” continued Mrs. Ellis, coaxingly, “do, that’s a good boy.”

“Yes, do,” added Mrs. Thomas, “and I will buy you a handsome new suit of livery.”

This was too much for Charlie; the promise of another suit of the detested livery quite overcame him, and he burst into tears.

“Why, what ails the boy?  He’s the most incomprehensible child I ever saw!  The idea of crying at the promise of a new suit of clothes!—­any other child would have been delighted,” concluded Mrs. Thomas.

“I don’t want your old button-covered uniform,” said Charlie, “and I won’t wear it, neither!  And as for aunt Rachel, I don’t care how much she is hurt—­I’m only sorry I didn’t smash her other toe; and I’ll see her skinned, and be skinned myself, before I’ll ask her pardon!”

Both Mrs. Thomas and Charlie’s mother stood aghast at this unexpected declaration; and the result of a long conference, held by the two, was that Charlie should be taken home, Mrs. Ellis being unable to withstand his tears and entreaties.

As he passed through the kitchen on his way out, he made a face at aunt Rachel, who, in return, threw at him one of the turnips she was peeling.  It missed the object for which it was intended, and came plump into the eye of Robberts, giving to that respectable individual for some time thereafter the appearance of a prize-fighter in livery.