I fear that, after the fashion of most children, and some grown-up people, he thought less of the steady kindness of Mr.Peyton and the others than of the rare tolerance of Harry or the polite concessions of his sister.

Miserably conscious of this at times, he quite convinced himself that if he could only win a word of approbation from Harry, or a smile from Mrs.Peyton, he would afterwards revenge himself by "running away." Whether he would or not, I cannot say.

I am writing of a foolish, growing, impressionable boy of eleven, of whose sentiments nothing could be safely predicted but uncertainty.
It was at this time that he became fascinated by another member of the party whose position had been too humble and unimportant to be included in the group already noted.

Of the same appearance as the other teamsters in size, habits, and apparel, he had not at first exhibited to Clarence any claim to sympathy.

But it appeared that he was actually a youth of only sixteen--a hopeless incorrigible of St.Joseph, whose parents had prevailed on Peyton to allow him to join the party, by way of removing him from evil associations and as a method of reform.