foolish enough to feel that a boy or man derived importance from the
extent of his wardrobe; and exulted in the personal possession of
eight pairs of pants.

This scene occurred at recess. After school was over, Herbert walked
home. He was a little thoughtful. There was no disgrace in a patch, as
he was sensible enough to be aware. Still, he would have a little
preferred not to wear one. That was only natural. In that point, I
suppose, my readers will fully agree with him. But he knew very well
that his mother, who had been left a widow, had hard work enough to
get along as it was, and he had no idea of troubling her on the
subject. Besides, he had a better suit for Sundays, neat though plain,
and he felt that he ought not to be disturbed by James Leech's
insolence.

So thinking, he neared the small house which he called home. It was a
small cottage, with something less than an acre of land attached,
enough upon which to raise a few vegetables. It belonged to his
mother, nominally, but was mortgaged for half its value to Squire
Leech, the father of James. The amount of the mortgage, precisely, was
seven hundred and fifty dollars. It had cost his father fifteen
hundred. When he built it, obtaining half this sum on mortgage, he
hoped to pay it up by degrees; but it turned out that, from sickness
and other causes, this proved impossible. When, five months before, he
had died suddenly, the house, which was all he left, was subject to
this incumbrance. Upon this, interest was payable semi-annually at the
rate of six per cent. Forty-five dollars a year is not a large sum,
but it seemed very large to Mrs. Carter, when added to their necessary
expenses for food, clothing and fuel. How it was to be paid she did
not exactly see. The same problem had perplexed Herbert, who, like a