“I know I can make twelve dollars a week,” replied Bobby, confidently, for that something within him made him feel capable of great things.

“I dare say you can.  You have energy and perseverance, and people take a liking to you.”

“But I wanted to see you about another matter.  To speak out at once, I want to borrow sixty dollars of you;” and Bobby blushed, and seemed very much embarrassed by his own boldness.

“Sixty dollars!” exclaimed the squire.

“I knew you would think me impudent,” replied our hero, his heart sinking within him.

“But I don’t, Bobby.  You want this money to go into business with—­to buy your stock of books?”

“O, no, sir; I am going to apply to Mr. Bayard for that.”

“Just so; Mr. Bayard is the gentleman whose daughter you saved?”

“Yes, sir.  I want this money to pay off Mr. Hardhand.  We owe him but sixty dollars now, and he has threatened to turn us out, if it is not paid by tomorrow noon.”

“The old hunks!”

Bobby briefly related to the squire the events or the morning, much to the indignation and disgust of the honest, kind-hearted man.  The courageous boy detailed more clearly his purpose, and doubted not he should be able to pay the loan in a few months.

“Very well, Bobby, here is the money;” and the squire took it from his wallet, and gave it to him.

“Thank you, sir.  May Heaven bless you!  I shall certainly pay you.”

“Don’t worry about it, Bobby.  Pay it when you get ready.”

“I will give you my note, and—­”

The squire laughed heartily at this, and told him, that, as he was a minor, his note was not good for any thing.

“You shall see whether it is, or not,” returned Bobby.  “Let me give it to you, at least, so that we can tell how much I owe you from time to time.”

“You shall have your own way.”

Annie Lee, as much amused as her father at Bobby’s big talk, got the writing materials, and the little merchant in embryo wrote and signed the note.

“Good, Bobby!  Now promise that you will come and see me every time you come home, and tell me how you are getting along.”

“I will, sir, with the greatest pleasure;” and with a light heart Bobby tripped away home.

CHAPTER VI.

In which Bobby sets out on his travels.

Squire Lee, though only a plain farmer, was the richest man in Riverdale.  He had taken a great fancy to Bobby, and often employed him to do errands, ride the horse to plough in the cornfields, and such chores about the place as a boy could do.  He liked to talk with Bobby because there was a great deal of good sense in him, for one with a small head.

If there was any one thing upon which the squire particularly prided himself, it was his knowledge of human nature.  He declared that he only wanted to look a man in the face to know what he was; and as for Bobby Bright, he had summered him and wintered him, and he was satisfied that he would make something in good time.