"He's true grit.

I'd go to the death for him." "He will be very glad to have you for a faithful friend," said Mrs.
Robertson; "but look, you must not teach him any thing bad, or tempt him to do wrong.

He is my only child, and my dearest wish is to see him a noble, pure, Christian man." "I wont teach him any 'arm as I knows to be 'arm," said Hal, putting out his hand to ratify the bargain.
It was a rough, hard hand, but Mrs.Robertson took it kindly as she answered, "God help you to keep your promise, Hal;" and so their interview closed.
When Monday morning came, Hal Hutchings was up and dressed almost as early as Mrs.Robertson herself.

Into the kitchen he walked, hearing the good lady's voice in that direction.

"I'm going now," he said, "and I just looked in to bid you good-by." "Stop and take breakfast with us, wont you, Hal?
You shall not go away hungry." Some crisp cakes of codfish and potatoes were getting the last coat of brown in a frying-pan over the fire, and a huge loaf of Boston "brown bread" was on the table near at hand.
"I wouldn't mind a slice of that bread and one of them cakes, if you would let me sit down here and eat 'em," said Hal.
Mrs.Robertson understood the boy's unwillingness to take a meal with strangers who had been raised in habits of greater refinement than his own.