As Mr. Norton concluded he walked over to the corner, and caught up a hickory stick that stood behind the door. “What do you intend to do?” I cried, as he advanced upon me. “I am going to give you your first lesson in telling the truth,” he replied. “You shall not touch me with that stick!” “I will. You shall learn to mind me, and that the very first thing.” And with these words Mr. Norton rushed on me, and grabbed me by the collar. CHAPTER VI. AT ROCK ISLAND. I could hardly believe that Mr. Norton intended to strike me. I had not been struck for a long time; in fact, as far back as I could remember, and I did not intend to submit. Accordingly, when the man caught me by the collar, I jerked away as quickly as possible, and put the table between us. This seemed to enrage him still more, and he fairly leaped the distance, caught me again, and bore me to the floor. “We’ll see if you are going to mind or not!” he cried. “Let me up!” I screamed. “Yes, let him up,” put in Ford. “I won’t have you thrashing Rube.” And he caught Mr. Norton by the arm, and pulled him in such a fashion that he went sprawling on his back. My tormentor was completely astonished by this movement. He scrambled to his feet, and I lost no time in doing the same. “What do you mean by interfering?” demanded Mr. Norton, turning a livid face to the mill-hand. “I won’t stand by and see Rube abused,” retorted Ford. “It’s none of your business!” “I’ll make it my business.” “You’ll do no such a thing!” howled Mr. Norton. “I won’t have such a fellow as you about the place. You are discharged.” “I am willing. I wouldn’t want to work here if you are to be the boss. But I’m Rube’s friend, and I’m going to stick up for him. Nice kind of a man you are, raising a fight when you haven’t been here but a few hours! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! If I told folks down to the Bend about the way you carry on, they’d ride you on a rail.” Ford was in for easing his mind, and I let him go on. “Stop! stop!” cried Mr. Norton. “I won’t listen to a word.” “Oh, yes, you will,” went on Ford. “Here is Rube just about heard of his father’s death, and you treating him in this fashion! You haven’t got a heart as big as a toad. Besides, the boy has told you the truth.” “How do you know?” asked the man, somewhat abashed by the fact that Ford did not back down. “His father must have been worth something.” “Well, he wasn’t; and in these times it’s hard to make a living at anything in Bend Center. I’ve looked around and I know.” Mr. Norton was silent for a moment; then his manner appeared to change. He threw the stick into the corner, and sat down on a chair. “Perhaps I was a little hard,” he admitted; “but I was led to believe that Stone was rich, otherwise I would never have loaned him the money I did.” No one made any reply to this, and he went on,――