hich he asked for, and put
it into his hands, telling him at the same time that he expected to be
acquainted with the use he put it to; and that, if he was not satisfied
with the account, he would never trust him again. Tommy appeared in
ecstasies at the confidence that was reposed in him, and, after thanking
his father for his extraordinary goodness, he desired leave to go back
again with Mr Barlow's servant.

When he arrived at Mr Barlow's, his first care was to ask Harry to
accompany him again to the farmer's house. Thither the two little boys
went with the greatest expedition; and, on their entering the house,
found the unhappy family in the same situation as before. But Tommy, who
had hitherto suppressed his feelings, finding himself now enabled to
execute the project he had formed, went up to the good woman of the
house, who sat sobbing in a corner of the room, and, taking her gently
by the hand, said, "My good woman, you were very kind to me in the
morning, and therefore I am determined to be kind to you in return."
"God bless you, my little master," said the woman, "you are very welcome
to what you had; but you are not able to do anything to relieve our
distress." "How do you know that?" said Tommy; "perhaps I can do more
for you than you imagine." "Alas!" answered the woman, "I believe you
would do all you could; but all our goods will be seized and sold,
unless we can immediately raise the sum of forty pounds; and that is
impossible, for we have no earthly friend to assist us; therefore my
poor babes and I must soon be turned out of doors, and God alone can
keep them from starving."

Tommy's little heart was too much affected to keep the woman longer in
suspense; therefore, pulling out his bag of money, he poured it into her
lap, saying, "Here, my good woman, take this and pay your debts, and God
bless you and your children!" It is impossible to express the surprise
of the poor woman at the sight; she stared wildly round her, and upon
her little benefactor, and, clasping her hands together in an agony of
gratitude and feeling, she fell back in her chair with a kind of
convulsive motion. Her husband, who was in the next room, seeing her in
this condition, ran up to her, and catching her in his arms, asked her
with the greatest tenderness what was the matter; but she, springing on
a sudden from his embraces, threw herself upon her knees before the
little boy, sobbing and blessing with a broken inarticulate voic