"He hasn't had a mouthful since noon, and we had a light dinner, too." "I can't help that, Mrs. Felton. I'm goin' to teach him a lesson." "Nat is a high-spirited boy, Mr. Balberry. Maybe he won't stand for it." "He has got to stand fer it," was the answer, from the sink, where the farmer was washing his face and hands. "But if he won't?" "Wot can he do, I'd like to know?" "I'm sure I don't know--but he may do something that you least expect." "He won't do nuthin'," said the farmer, and sank down in his seat at the table. "He can't do nuthin'. I give him a good home, but he don't seem to a'preciate it nohow." To this Mrs. Felton did not reply, but set the food on the table. The fish had not been spoilt, and the farmer ate all he wished of the dish. "Why don't you eat?" he asked of the housekeeper, seeing that she had abstained from touching the fish. "I--I don't care for it," she answered. She had in mind to save what was left and give it to Nat for his breakfast. "That boy is gittin' too big fer his boots," went on Abner Balberry. "He acts like he was of age, an' he is only sixteen. Last week he wanted to know how soon I was goin' to pay him reg'lar wages." "And what did you tell him?" "Told him I'd pay him wages when he was wuth it an' not before." "He does almost a man's work now, doesn't he?" "Not much! Besides, don't I feed an' clothe him an' give him a comfortable home? He's got too high-falutin' notions, he has!" "But don't you think he ought to have some money?" went on Mrs. Felton, who could be a trifle independent herself at times. "No. Money is the ruination o' young folks. Week before last he wanted a quarter to go to the circus with, but he didn't git it." "Almost all of the boys in this district went to the circus. Tom Bradley told me it was very good, too." "Humph! That Bradley boy is going to the dogs as fast as he can go." "Deacon Slide thinks he is a very good boy." "Well, the deacon don't know everything. I'm goin' to make Nat toe the mark until he is twenty-one. After that I'll wash my hands o' him." The farmer finished his supper and then went out to see that everything was all right around the farm for the night. A little later he took a lamp and went upstairs. Tiptoeing his way through an upper hall he came to a pause in front of Nat's room. "Asleep, jest as I thought," he told himself, after listening to the boy's breathing. Then he peeped into the room, to behold Nat lying under the cover of the bed, with his face turned to the wall. "I'll give him another talkin' to in the mornin'," the farmer told himself; and then retired, with no thought of what was going to happen before the sun arose upon another day. CHAPTER III NAT LEAVES THE FARM Farmer Balberry was mistaken; Nat was not asleep, nor was there any thought of sleep in the boy's mind.