and it is so lonely here that I am not myself. Perhaps if I could have an
outing, I should be better able to endure it."



CHAPTER 3

AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER

Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very
selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going
was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness. Many thoughts
pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father's long absence, but
the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might
be broken up. He seemed to see his mother's face, and it encouraged him to
be brave. It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, "Yes, Papa,
I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the
time."

"Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to
see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
Your uncle John will look after you and see that nothing happens to you."

So the matter was settled. In a few days Henry Hill was off for a month of
pleasure, leaving the children in Austin's care. He was right in thinking
that his brother-in-law, John Moore, would look after the children. Mr.
Moore was a brother to the children's mother and had the same noble
principles as she had. He would gladly have taken the entire care of the
children, but he thought it was their father's place to have their
oversight, so stood back and said little. But when he knew they were left