IN WHICH BOBBY GIVES HIS NOTE FOR SIXTY DOLLARS A great idea was born in Bobby's brain.

His mother's weakness and the insecurity of her position were more apparent to him than they had ever been before.

She was in the power of her creditor, who might turn her out of the little black house, sell the place at auction, and thus, perhaps, deprive her of the whole or a large part of his father's and her own hard earnings.
But this was not the peculiar hardship of her situation, as her devoted son understood it.

It was not the hard work alone which she was called upon to perform, not the coarseness of the fare upon which they lived, not the danger even of being turned out of doors, that distressed Bobby; it was that a wretch like Mr.Hardhand could insult and trample upon his mother.

He had just heard him use language to her that made his blood boil with indignation, and he did not, on cool, sober, second thought, regret that he had taken such a decided stand against it.
He cared not for himself.