n the mere worldly success he had obtained. Motives
determine the character of deeds. That a boy of thirteen should
display so much enterprise and energy was a great thing; but that it
should be displayed from pure, unselfish devotion to his mother was a
vastly greater thing. Many great achievements are morally
insignificant, while many of which the world never hears mark the true
hero.

Our hero was not satisfied with what he had done, and far from
relinquishing his interesting and profitable employment, his ambition
suggested new and wider fields of success. As one ideal, brilliant and
glorious in its time, was reached, another more brilliant and more
glorious presented itself, and demanded to be achieved. The little
black house began to appear rusty and inconvenient; a coat of white
paint would marvellously improve its appearance; a set of nice
Paris-green blinds would make a palace of it; and a neat fence around
it would positively transform the place into a paradise. Yet Bobby was
audacious enough to think of these things, and even to promise himself
that they should be obtained.

In conversation with Mr. Bayard a few days before, that gentleman had
suggested a new field of labor; and it had been arranged that Bobby
should visit the State of Maine the following week. On the banks of
the Kennebec were many wealthy and important towns, where the
intelligence of the people created a demand for books. This time the
little merchant was to take two hundred books, and be absent until
they were all sold.

On Monday morning he started bright and early for the railroad
station. As usual, he called upon Squire Lee, and informed Annie that
he should probably be absent three or four weeks. She hoped no
accident would happen to him, and that his journey would be crowned
with success. Without being sentimental, she was a little sad, for
Bobby was a great friend of hers. That elegant copy of Moore's Poems
had been gratefully received, and she was so fond of the bard's
beautiful and touching melodies that she could never read any of them
without thinking of the brave little fellow who had given her the
volume; which no one will consider very remarkable, even in a little
miss of twelve.

After he had bidden her and her father adieu, he resumed his
journey. Of course he was thinking with all his might; but no one need
suppose he was wondering how wide the Kennebec River was, or how many
books he should sell in the towns upon it