He had always in his heart been afraid of this boy with his wild and reckless temper, and felt that in his present mood Ned was capable of anything.
Still as Mr.Mulready took his seat in his gig his predominant feeling was satisfaction.
"I am glad I have given him a lesson," he muttered to himself, "and have paid him off for months of insolence.

He won't try it on again, and as for his threats, pooh! he'll be gone in a few weeks, and there will be an end of it." After he had gone Mrs.Mulready tried to soothe Ned, but the boy would not listen to her, and in fact did not seem to hear her.
"Don't you mind, mother," he said in a strange, quiet voice, "I will pay him off;" and muttering these words over and over again he went out into the hall, took down his cap in a quiet, mechanical sort of way, put it on, opened the door, and went out.
"Oh! Charlie," Mrs.Mulready said to her second son, who, sobbing bitterly, had thrown himself down in a chair by the table, and was sitting with his head on his hands, "there will be something terrible come of this! Ned's temper is so dreadful, and my husband was wrong, too.

He should never have beaten him so, though Ned did say such things to him.

What shall I do?
these quarrels will be the death of me.

I suppose Ned will be wandering about all night again.