Our hero was shrewd.

He always got the best end of the bargain; though, I am happy to say, his integrity was too unyielding to let him cheat his fellows.
We have made this digression so that my young readers may know why Bobby was so much given to big talk.

The desire to do something worthy of a good son turned his attention to matters above his sphere; and thinking of great things, he had come to talk great things.

It was not a bad fault, after all.

Boys need not necessarily be frivolous.