It would only make him unhappy, she reasoned, and it was needless to make the dear boy miserable for nothing; so Bobby ran home all unconscious of the pleasure which was in store for him.
When he reached the front door, as he stopped to scrape his feet on the sharp stone there, as all considerate boys who love their mothers do, before they go into the house, he heard the angry tones of Mr.Hardhand.He was scolding and abusing his mother because she could not pay him the twenty-five dollars.
Bobby's blood boiled with indignation, and his first impulse was to serve him as he had served Tom Spicer, only a few moments before; but Bobby, as we have before intimated, was a peaceful boy, and not disposed to quarrel with any person; so he contented himself with muttering a few hard words.
"The wretch! What business has he to talk to _my_ mother in that style ?" said he to himself.

"I have a great mind to kick him out of the house." But Bobby's better judgment came to his aid; and perhaps he realized that he and his mother would only get kicked out in return.

He could battle with Mr.Hardhand, but not with the power which his wealth gave him; so, like a great many older persons in similar circumstances, he took counsel of prudence rather than impulse.
"Bear ye one another's burdens," saith the Scripture; but Bobby was not old enough or astute enough to realize that Mr.Hardhand's burden was his wealth, his love of money; that it made him little better than a Hottentot; and he could not feel as charitably towards him as a Christian should towards his erring, weak brother.
Setting his pole by the door, he entered the room where Hardhand was abusing his mother..