“You told me I might be strict and harsh with him, and I am. He says he has the headache about half the time, but I don’t pay no attenshun to that. If I did, I wouldn’t git any work done. One day he fainted away in the feald, but it’s my opinyun he brought it on a-purpose by not eatin’ much breakfast. “I tell you, Mr. Waldo, it is very aggravatin’ to have such a shifless boy. Now, what I want to ask you is, if you can’t allow me a dollar, or a dollar and a half a week to make it square. I’m willin’ to take care of the boy, but I don’t want to lose money by it. I kno you give him his clo’es, but that don’t cost you much. He ain’t had a suit for a year, and he needs one bad. “I’m sure you will see the thing the way I do, if you are a reasonable man, as I have no reason to doubt you are; and so I remain yours to command, NATHAN BADGER. “To MR. CHARLES WALDO.” Robert could hardly express his excitement and indignation when he was reading this letter. He felt sure that this poor boy, who was so cruelly treated, was the unfortunate son of his friend, the hermit, who ought to be enjoying the comforts of a luxurious home. As it was, he was the victim of a cruel and unscrupulous relative, influenced by the most mercenary motives. “I will be his friend,” Robert resolved, “and if I can I will restore him to his father.” He looked for the date of the letter and found it. It had been written in the town of Dexter, in Ohio. Where this town was Robert did not know, but he could find out. “I won’t wait for Mr. Waldo,” he said to himself. “I know all I need to. I will start for Ohio to-morrow.” As for the letter, he resolved to keep it, as it might turn out to be important evidence in case of need. He could not understand how Mr. Waldo could be careless enough to mislay so important a document, but this did not concern him. It was his business to profit by it. CHAPTER XXVII THE BOUND BOY The town of Dexter was almost entirely agricultural. Its population was small and scattered. There were no large shops or manufactories to draw people to the place. Many of the farmers were well to do, carrying on agricultural operations on a considerable scale. Among the smaller farmers was Nathan Badger. He was fond of money, but knew no better way to get it than to live meanly, drive hard bargains and spend as little as possible. In this way, though not a very good farmer, he was able to lay by a couple of hundred dollars a year, which he put away in the County Savings Bank.