"I have spent more than half," he announced with grim resolution. "I wandered to the Fair, and because there were many things to buy and others had money to spend I spent too."
His father rose furiously, with a clumsy threatening gesture.
"Whose money was it you carried?" he asked. "Whose money, I say?"
"Yours," answered his son sullenly because he was offended now. "But I have given you the reason and I will repay in due course from what I earn."
"Come here," commanded the father, sweeping all his excuses aside.
The boy hesitated. His father picked up a heavy tool. The boy was caught between a feeling of filial duty which was intense and deep among the people and a new feeling of independence.
"You would strike me with that?" he asked, frowning hard.
"Come here," shouted his father again, and that shout decided him.
"No," he said, folding his arms. "I shall not come."
"Little son of a toad," shouted the infuriated man, rushing at him. "I will teach you, I will teach you."