old enough or astute enough to realize that Mr. Hardhand's burden was
his wealth, his love of money; that it made him little better than a
Hottentot; and he could not feel as charitably towards him as a
Christian should towards his erring, weak brother.

Setting his pole by the door, he entered the room where Hardhand was
abusing his mother.




CHAPTER IV.

IN WHICH BOBBY GETS OUT OF ONE SCRAPE, AND INTO ANOTHER.

Bobby was so indignant at the conduct of Mr. Hardhand, that he entirely
forgot the adventure of the morning; and he did not even think of the
gold he had in his pocket. He loved his mother; he knew how hard she
had worked for him and his brother and sisters; that she had burned the
"midnight oil" at her clamps; and it made him feel very bad to near her
abused as Mr. Hardhand was abusing her. It was not her fault that she
had not the money to pay him. She had been obliged to spend a large
portion of her time over the sick beds of her children, so that she
could not earn so much money as usual; while the family expenses were
necessarily much greater.

Bobby knew also that Mr. Hardhand was aware of all the circumstances of
his mother's position, and the more he considered the case the more
brutal and inhuman was his course.