Joe doubled up his fist, and moved towards David. Our little merchant walked away from him; but just then John Gray came to the spot.
“He says I’ve got some of his money,” said Joe, as John joined them.
“Haven’t you got some of it?”
“No.”
“Turn out your pockets, and let me see,” said John.
“I don’t want to do that; but I haven’t got any of his money,” replied Joe.
The bad boy then tried to run away; but John caught him, and turned his pockets out for him. In one of them he found eight of the cents David had lost. John gave them to David, and told Joe if he touched him again, he would put him in prison for stealing.
David was very glad to get his money again; and while John held Joe, he ran off to sell the rest of his papers. Joe was afraid of being put in prison for what he had done; so he did not dare to whip David for telling John about it.
This was only one of David’s trials. He told his mother about it when he got home. She said he must not mind it, and that he must have nothing to do with Joe, for he was a very wicked boy. She told him he must not heed these troubles, for every body in the world has to meet them.
David kept on selling papers for several years, and the money he earned in this way helped his mother very much, and no mother could be more happy in having such a good son. I hope all my little friends will do all they can to help their mothers. If they cannot sell papers, they can do a great many things. They can at least be good boys and girls, and this will help their mothers a good deal, and make life very pleasant to them.