"Now, that is silly, Joey," said Mother Fisher, "tell me at once what all this trouble is about," passing her firm hands over his hot forehead, and trying to look in his face. But he struggled to turn it away from her.
"In the first place I just hate school!" he exploded.
XXII
JOEL
"Hate school?" cried Mother Fisher. "Oh, Joey! think how Ben wanted more schooling, only he wouldn't take the chance when Mr. King offered it to him because he felt that he must be earning money as soon as possible. Oh, Joey!"
That "Oh, Joey!" cut deeply. Joel winced and burrowed deeper under his mother's fingers.
"That's just it," he cried. "Ben wanted it, and I don't. I hate it, and
I don't want to go back."
"Don't want to go back?" repeated Mrs. Fisher in dismay.
"No, I don't. The fellows are always twitting me, and every one gets ahead of me, and I'm everlastingly staying in from ballgames to make up lessons, and I'd like to fire the books, I would," cried Joel with venom.
Mrs. Fisher said nothing, but the hands still stroked the brown stubby head in her lap.