Then , seeing how badly his father felt , he said cheerfully , `` All right , father . '' Mr. Meredith misunderstood his cheerfulness and thought him insensible . He told Carl to come to the study after supper , and when the boy had gone out he flung himself into his chair and groaned again . He dreaded the evening sevenfold more than Carl did . The poor minister did not even know what he should whip his boy with . What was used to whip boys ? Rods ? Canes ? No , that would be too brutal . A timber switch , then ? And he , John Meredith , must hie him to the woods and cut one . It was an abominable thought . Then a picture presented itself unbidden to his mind . He saw Mrs. Carr 's wizened , nut-cracker little face at the appearance of that reviving eel -- he saw her sailing witch-like over the buggy wheels . Before he could prevent himself the minister laughed . Then he was angry with himself and angrier still with Carl . He would get that switch at once -- and it must not be too limber , after all . Carl was talking the matter over in the graveyard with Faith and Una , who had just come home . They were horrified at the idea of his being whipped -- and by father , who had never done such a thing ! But they agreed soberly that it was just .
`` You know it was a dreadful thing XXXXX do , '' sighed Faith .
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