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Now or Never by Oliver Optic
page 33 of 201 (16%)
As our hero entered the family room with the basket of fish on his arm,
the little crusty old man fixed the glance of his evil eye upon him.

"There is that boy, marm, idling away his time by the river, and eating
you out of house and home," said the wretch. "Why don't you set him to
work, and make him earn something?"

"Bobby is a very good boy," meekly responded the widow Bright.

"Humph! I should think he was. A great lazy lubber like him, living on
his mother!" and Mr. Hardhand looked contemptuously at Bobby.

"I am not a lazy lubber," interposed the insulted boy with spirit.

"Yes, you are. Why don't you go to work?"

"I do work."

"No, you don't; you waste your time paddling in the river."

"I don't."

"You had better teach this boy manners too, marm," said the creditor,
who, like all men of small souls, was willing to take advantage of the
power which the widow's indebtedness gave him. "He is saucy."

"I should like to know who taught you manners, Mr. Hardhand," replied
Bobby, whose indignation was rapidly getting the better of his
discretion.

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