gave his
mother a full account of all that had occurred at the bridge.

The fond mother trembled when she realized the peril her son had
incurred for the sake of the young lady; but her maternal heart
swelled with admiration in view of the generous deed, and she thanked
God that she was the mother of such a son. She felt more confidence in
him then than she had ever felt before, and she realized that he would
be the stay and the staff of her declining years.

Bobby finished his dinner, and seated himself on the front door
step. His mind was absorbed by a new and brilliant idea; and for half
an hour he kept up a most tremendous thinking.

"Now or never!" said he, as he rose and walked down the road towards
Riverdale Centre.

CHAPTER V

IN WHICH BOBBY GIVES HIS NOTE FOR SIXTY DOLLARS

A great idea was born in Bobby's brain. His mother's weakness and the
insecurity of her position were more apparent to him than they had
ever been before. She was in the power of her creditor, who might turn
her out of the little black house, sell the place at auction, and
thus, perhaps, deprive her of the whole or a large part of his
father's and her own hard earnings.

But this was not the peculiar hardship of her situation, as her
devoted son understood it. It was not the hard work alone which she
was called upon to perform, not the coarseness of the fare upon which
they lived, not the danger even of being turned out of doors, that
distressed Bobby; it was that a wretch like Mr. Hardhand could insult
and trample upon his mother. He had just heard him use language to her
that made his blood boil with indignation, and he did not, on cool,
sober, second thought, regret that he had taken such a decided stand
against it.

He cared not for himself. He could live on a crust of bread and a cup
of water from the spring; he could sleep in a barn; he could wear
coarse and even ragged clothes; but he could not submit to have his
mother insulted, and by such a mean and contemptible person as
Mr. Hardhand.

Yet what could he do? He was but a boy, and the great world would look
with contempt upon his puny form. But he felt that he was not
altogether insignificant. He had performed an act that day, which the
fair young lady, to whom he had rendered the service, had declared
very few men would have undertaken. There was something in him,
something that would come out, if he only put his best foot
forward. It was a tower of strength w