The lies he had told that morning had done him no good--had rather injured his cause; and, though he had no principle that forbade lying, he questioned its policy in the present instance.
"I paid part down, and they trusted me part." "How many books you got ?" "Twenty dollars worth.

I paid eight dollars down." "You did?
Where did you get the eight dollars ?" Bobby remembered the money Tom's father had lost several weeks before, and immediately connected that circumstance with his present ability to pay so large a sum.
Tom hesitated again, but he was never at a loss for an answer.
"My mother gave it to me." "Your mother ?" "Yes, _sir_!" replied Tom, boldly, and in that peculiarly bluff manner which is almost always good evidence that the boy is lying.
"But you ran away from home." "That's so; but my mother knew I was coming." "Did she ?" "To be sure she did." "You didn't say so before." "I can't tell all I know in a minute." "If I thought your mother consented to your coming, I wouldn't say another word." "Well, she did; you may bet your life on that." "And your mother gave you ten dollars ?" "Who said she gave me ten dollars ?" asked Tom a little sharply.
That was just the sum his father had lost, and Bobby had unwittingly hinted his suspicion.
"You must have had as much as that if you paid eight on your books.
Your fare to Boston and your steamboat fare must be two dollars more." "I know that; but look here, Bob;" and Tom took from his pocket five half dollars and exhibited them to his companion.

"She gave me thirteen dollars." Notwithstanding this argument, Bobby felt almost sure that the lost ten dollars was a part of his capital.
"I will tell you my story now, Bob, if you like.

You condemned me without a hearing, as Jim Guthrie said when they sent him to the House of Correction for getting drunk." "Go ahead." The substance of Tom's story was, that his father drank so hard, and was such a tyrant in the house, that he could endure it no longer.

His father and mother did not agree, as any one might have suspected.