"Now, mother," said Bob, "there's no need of supposing any thing of the kind. I'll work night and day, and I know that, with that nice boat I can earn twenty-six dollars in less than ninety days. If I can't, I had better shut up shop. I tell you, mother, it isn't every ferry-boy that can go to Mr. Graves and get trusted for a skiff. I've got a good reputation, and I mean to keep it. And I'll tell you another thing," he added, mysteriously, "we are not going to live in this tumble-down shantee much longer. In a very short time we'll be living in a nice little house in the upper end of the village, among respectable people, these two youngsters will be going to school, and I shall be at sea, leaving behind me more than money enough to support you while I am gone. What do you think of that?"
(Tom Newcombe's ideas were gaining ground rapidly.)
Bob's mother did not know what to think of it. She had never listened to such a speech before, and she could not imagine what had got into Bob to raise his spirits so wonderfully. However, she did not give that much thought, for she could not forget the debt of twenty-six dollars, which must be paid before they could leave Fishertown and take up their abode in a "nice little house in the upper end of the village." But she said nothing more in regard to it, thinking, no doubt, that as the mischief had been done, the less said about it the better. Besides, she had almost unlimited confidence in Bob, and, knowing that he possessed a great deal of energy, and was not easily discouraged, she hoped that he might, after all, succeed in raising the money by the time agreed upon. If she had any fears on the subject, she kept them to herself.
The fisher-boy brightened up when he saw that his mother was not disposed to find fault with him for what he had done, but his face instantly clouded up again when he thought of something very disagreeable he had yet to perform. His mother noticed it, and asked him what was the matter.
"Nothing much!" replied Bob, "only you don't seem to be very glad that I have got a new boat."
"I should be delighted if it was paid for," said his mother.
"Well," said the fisher-boy, putting his hand into his pocket and pulling out the money he had earned that morning, "if I pay some on it now, I won't have so much to pay by and by. You can spare five dollars, can't you?"
His mother replied that he could have the money if he wanted it, and taking her purse out of her pocket she began to count out the bills. She noticed that her son was very uneasy, that he could not stand still, but kept walking backward and forward over the floor; and if she had looked at him, she would have been astonished to see that his face was very red, and that he looked as if he had been caught in doing something which he knew to be wrong. Bob did indeed feel like a criminal; but he took the bills his mother handed him, and thrusting them into his pocket, he hastily left the house, leaving his mother to suppose that he was going to give them to Mr. Graves. Whether or not he did so, remains to be seen.