Bobby walked down the road towards the village with a rapid step.  He was thinking very fast, and probably that made him step quick.  But as he approached Squire Lee’s house, his pace slackened, and he seemed to be very uneasy.  When he reached the great gate that led up to the house, he stopped for an instant, and thrust his hands down very deep into his trousers pockets.  I cannot tell what the trousers pockets had to do with what he was thinking about; but if he was searching for any thing in them, he did not find it; for after an instant’s hesitation he drew out his hands, struck one of them against his chest, and in an audible voice exclaimed,—­

“Now or never.”

All this pantomime, I suppose, meant that Bobby had some misgivings as to the ultimate success of his mission at Squire Lee’s, and that when he struck his breast and uttered his favorite expression, they were conquered and driven out.

Marching with a bold and determined step up to the squire’s back door—­Bobby’s idea of etiquette would not have answered for the meridian of fashionable society—­he gave three smart raps.

Bobby’s heart beat a little wildly as he waited a response to his summons.  It seemed that he still had some doubts as to the practicability of his mission; but they were not permitted to disturb him long, for the door was opened by the Squire’s pretty daughter Annie, a young miss of twelve.

“O Bobby, is it you?  I am so glad you have come!” exclaimed the little lady.

Bobby blushed—­he didn’t know why, unless it was that the young lady desired to see him.  He stammered out a reply, and for the moment forgot the object of his visit.

“I want you to go down to the village for me, and get some books the expressman was to bring up from Boston for me.  Will you go?”

“Certainly, Miss Annie, I shall be very glad to go for you,” replied Bobby with an emphasis that made the little maiden blush in her turn.

“You are real good, Bobby; but I will give you something for going.”

“I don’t want any thing,” said Bobby, stoutly.

“You are too generous!  Ah, I heard what you did this forenoon; and pa says that a great many men would not have dared to do what you did.  I always thought you were as brave as a lion; now I know it.”

“The books are at the express office, I suppose,” said Bobby, turning as red as a blood beet.

“Yes, Bobby; I am so anxious to get them that I can’t wait till pa goes down this evening.”

“I will not be gone long.”

“O, you needn’t run, Bobby; take your time.”

“I will go very quick.  But, Miss Annie, is your father at home?”

“Not now; he has gone over to the wood lot; but he will be back by the time you return.”

“Will you please to tell him that I want to see him about something very particular, when he gets back?”

“I will, Bobby.”