"I don't agree with you, Mr. Holden," said the housekeeper, decidedly.
"Herbert has been hard at work, and needs his tea as much as you or I
do."

Therefore, without waiting for his permission, she handed the cup to
Herbert, who proceeded to taste it.

Abner Holden frowned, but neither Herbert nor the housekeeper took much
notice of it. The latter was somewhat surprised at this new freak on the
part of Abner, as he had never tried to deprive any of Herbert's
predecessors of tea or coffee. But the fact was, Mr. Holden disliked
Herbert, and was disposed to act the petty tyrant over him. He had
neither forgotten nor forgiven the boy's spirited defiance when they
first met, nor his refusal to surrender into his hands the five dollars
which the doctor had given him.

Feeling tired by eight o'clock, Herbert went up to his garret room and
undressed himself. An instinct of caution led him to take out the money
in his porte-monnaie, and put it in his trunk, which he then locked, and
put the key under the sheet, so that no one could get hold of it without
awakening him. This precaution proved to be well taken.

Herbert lay down upon the bed, but did not immediately go to sleep. He
could not help thinking of his new home, and the new circumstances in
which he was placed. He did not feel very well contented, and felt
convinced from what he had already seen of Mr. Holden, that he should
never like him. Then thoughts of his mother, and of her constant and
tender love, and the kind face he would never more see on earth, swept
over him, and almost unmanned him. To have had her still alive he would