"Excuse my delaying you. I am afraid I may have interfered with your
business. I say," he called out, as Robert was going on, "if you will
call at our house, perhaps my mother may patronize you."

"Very well," said Robert, "if I don't sell elsewhere, I'll call there.
It makes no difference to me who buys my berries,"

"He's the proudest beggar I ever met," thought Halbert, looking after
him. "Hester Paine must be hard up for an escort if she walks with a boy
who peddles berries for a living. If I were her father, I would put a
stop to it."

The same evening there was a concert in the Town Hall. A free ticket was
given to Robert in return for some slight service. Mr. Paine and his
daughter were present, and Halbert Davis also. To the disgust of the
latter, Robert actually had the presumption to walk home with Hester.
Hester laughed and chatted gayly, and appeared to be quite unconscious
that she was lowering herself by accepting the escort of a boy "who
picked berries for a living."

The next day Robert again repaired to Sligo. He had realized eighty
cents from his sales the previous day, and he felt that picking berries
was much better than remaining idle. Halbert's sneers did not for a
moment discompose him. He had pride, but it was an honorable pride, and
not of a kind that would prevent his engaging in any respectable
employment necessary for the support of his mother and himself.

Returning home with well-filled pails, he walked a part of the way on
the railroad, as this shortened the distance. He had not walked far when