sometimes, mother; I will stay at home and braid straw, and you can go
out fishing."

"I am afraid I should make a poor hand at it," said Mrs. Rushton,
smiling.

"If Halbert Davis could look in upon us just now, he would be
disappointed to find us so cheerful after my losing my place at factory.
However, I've disappointed him in another way."

"How is that?"

"He expected Will Paine would lend him his boat while he was gone, but,
instead of that, he finds it promised to me."

"I am afraid he is not a very kind-hearted boy."

"That's drawing it altogether too mild, mother. He's the meanest fellow
I ever met. However, I won't talk about him any more, or it'll spoil my
appetite."

On the next two mornings Robert went out at five o'clock, in order to
get home in time for the market-wagon. He met with fair luck, but not as
good as on the first day. Taking the two mornings together, he captured
and sold seventy pounds of fish, which, as the price remained the same,
brought him in a dollar and forty cents. This was not equal to his wages
at the factory; still, he had the greater part of the day to himself,
only, unfortunately, he had no way of turning his time profitably to
account, or, at least, none had thus far occurred to him.