On  one  occasion  when  there  were  some  strolling  showmen  in  the
village  I  went  to  the  exhibition,  and  this  lad,  with  the  boys  of
a  school  at  which  he  then  was,  came  in,  but  when  he  saw  me  on
a  seat  near  them,  he  induced  them  all  to  leave  the  place  and  re-


118  BOB    NOBBERRY.
main  outside  as  long  as  I  remained  inside.  I  vowed  vengeance
in  my  own  mind,  although  I  never  seemed  to  notice  the  circum-
stance. My  mother — who  I  may  here  say  was  a  religious  but
weak  woman,  to  whom  I  was  the  cause  of  perpetual  grief — in-
duced me  to  go  with  the  messenger,  if  I  did  no  more  than  bring
back  word  to  my  father,  who  was  expected  homo  in  a  few  hours,
what  the  condition  of  the  boy  was.  I  mounted  the  horse  that
the  messenger  brought,  arid  when  I  arrived  at  my  destination,  I
met  the  father  of  the  boy  at  the  door,  who  seemed  utterly  sur-
prised at  seeing  me.  '  What  brought  you  here  ?'  said  he,  *  you
graceless  ruffian.  I  thought  you  had  quit  the  country  long  ago.
