"If father could get his salary regularly--" commenced Grant.

"That's his affair, not mine," rejoined the grocer. "I have to pay
my bills regular, and I can't afford to wait months for my pay."

Grant looked uncomfortable, but did not know what to say.

"The short and the long of it is, that after this week your father
must either pay up his bill, or pay cash for what articles he gets
hereafter."

"Very well," said Grant, coldly. He was too proud to remonstrate.
Moreover, though he felt angry, he was constrained to admit that the
grocer had some reason for his course.

"Something must be done," he said to himself, but he was not wise
enough to decide what that something should be.

Though he regretted to pain his mother, he felt obliged to report to
her what the grocer had said.

"Don't be troubled, mother," he said, as he noticed the shade of
anxiety which came over her face. "Something will turn up."

Mrs. Thornton shook her head.

"It isn't safe to trust to that, Grant," she said; "we must help
ourselves."