ero, his heart
sinking within him.

"But I don't, Bobby. You want this money to go into business with--to
buy your stock of books?"

"O, no, sir; I am going to apply to Mr. Bayard for that."

"Just so; Mr. Bayard is the gentleman whose daughter you saved?"

"Yes, sir. I want this money to pay off Mr. Hardhand. We owe him but
sixty dollars now, and he has threatened to turn us out, if it is not
paid by tomorrow noon."

"The old hunks!"

Bobby briefly related to the squire the events or the morning, much to
the indignation and disgust of the honest, kind-hearted man. The
courageous boy detailed more clearly his purpose, and doubted not he
should be able to pay the loan in a few months.

"Very well, Bobby, here is the money;" and the squire took it from his
wallet, and gave it to him.

"Thank you, sir. May Heaven bless you! I shall certainly pay you."

"Don't worry about it, Bobby. Pay it when you get ready."

"I will give you my note, and--"

The squire laughed heartily at this, and told him, that, as he was a
minor, his note was not good for any thing.

"You shall see whether it is, or not," returned Bobby. "Let me give it
to you, at least, so that we can tell how much I owe you from time to
time."

"You shall have your own way."

Annie Lee, as much amused as her father at Bobby's big talk, got the
writing materials, and the little merchant in embryo wrote and signed
the note.

"Good, Bobby! Now promise that you will come and see me every time you
come home, and tell me how you are getting along."

"I will, sir, with the greatest pleasure;" and with a light heart Bobby
tripped away home.

CHAPTER VI.

IN WHICH BOBBY SETS OUT ON HIS TRAVELS.

Squire Lee, though only a plain farmer, was the richest man in
Riverdale. He had taken a great fancy to Bobby, and often employed him
to do errands, ride the horse to plough in the cornfields, and such
chores about the place as a boy could do. He liked to talk with Bobby
because there was a great deal of good sense in him, for one with a
small head.

If there was any one thing upon which the squire particularly prided
himself, it was his knowledge of human nature. He declared that he
only wanted to look a man in the face to know what he was; and as for
Bobby Bright, he had summered him and wintered him, and he was
satisfied that he would make something in good time.

He was not much astonished when Bobby opened his ambitious scheme of
g