''Greed on one thing, Major Gaston,' said the foreman, rising; 'hain't on t'other.' 'On what have you agreed?' 'On whippin' th' young 'ooman.' 'What say you on that--guilty, or not guilty?' 'Guilty.' 'And so say you all?' 'Yas, Major.' 'How do you stand on the other charge?' 'Four gwo in fur guilty; th' rest on us think Jake Larkin 'bout right as ter hangin' on him.' 'It is not for Mr. Larkin, or you, to say what shall be done with the prisoner. You are to decide whether he is or is not guilty of instigating the murder of his wife. You must retire again, until you agree upon that.' ''Twouldn't be uv no use; Major. We reckon he's mean 'nuff ter hev done it; but whether he done it, or no, we gwo fur givin' him a chance ter live. 'Ye're white men, I swar!' cried Larkin, springing from his seat, and grasping the hands of several of the jurors in turn. 'Take your seat, and observe order, Mr. Larkin,' said the judge, smiling in spite of himself. 'All right,' said Larkin; 'ye're _some_ as a judge, Major--'bout up ter me as a loryer, an' thet's saying a heap; so jest be easy on th' pore devil. _Do_, yer _Honor!_' 'Silence, sir!' said Gaston, laughing. Larkin took his seat, and the 'judge' continued: 'Prisoner, you have heard the verdict. Have you anything to say why sentence for aiding in the assault on the white lady should not now be passed upon you?' 'No, Major Gaston; I've nothin' ter say,' said Mulock, dejectedly. Gaston continued: 'You have been tried by a jury of your own selection. They are unanimous in pronouncing you guilty of a cowardly and unwarrantable assault on a white woman. They evidently deem you guilty of the worse crime of abetting the murder of your own wife, and humane feelings only deter them from saying so. In these circumstances, I feel it my duty to award you a more severe punishment than I should have done had you been fully acquitted of the last charge. I shall therefore sentence you to be coated with warm tar, ducked, in that condition, three times in the pond, and then ridden on a rail to your shop at Trenton; and may this example of public indignation lead you to a better life in future. Mr. Larkin, I commission you to superintend the execution of the sentence.' 'No, ye don't, Major--yer _Honor_, I mean! I'll stand by, an' see Mulock hes far play; but I woan't do nary one's dirty work, I swar.' 'Well, who will volunteer for the duty?' said Gaston, appealing to the audience. About a score of 'natives' offered themselves; but, fixing his eye on a stout, goodnatured-looking man, who had not volunteered, Gaston said: 'Won't _you_ do it, Mr. Moore?' 'Yas, ter 'blige ye, Major, I will,' replied the man.