Nevertheless Bobby was not exactly pleased to have his fine air castle upset, and to be tipped out of the clouds upon the cold, uncompromising earth again; so the first greeting he gave Tom was not as cordial as it might have been.
"Hallo, Tom!" he replied, rather coolly.
"Been waiting for you this half hour." "Have you ?" "Yes; ain't you rather late ?" "No; I have plenty of time, though none to spare," answered Bobby; and this was a hint that he must not detain him too long.
"Come along then." "Where are you going, Tom ?" asked Bobby, a little surprised at these words.
"To Boston." "Are you ?" "I am; that's a fact.

You know I spoke to you about going into the book business." "Not lately." "But I have been thinking about it all the time." "What do your father and mother say ?" "O, they are all right." "Have you asked them ?" "Certainly I have; they are willing I should go with _you_." "Why didn't you speak of it then ?" "I thought I wouldn't say any thing till the time came.

You know you fought shy when I spoke about it before." And Bobby, notwithstanding the interest he felt in his companion, was a little disposed to "fight shy" now.

Tom had reformed, or had pretended to do so; but he was still a raw recruit, and our hero was somewhat fearful that he would run at the first fire.
To the good and true man life is a constant battle.

Temptation assails him at almost every point; perils and snares beset him at every step of his mortal pilgrimage, so that every day he is called upon to gird on his armor and fight the good fight.
Bobby was no poet; but he had a good idea of this every-day strife with the foes of error and sin that crossed his path.