To most boys or young men of eighteen this would not have been a difficult question to solve. But to Joshua it was a perplexing problem. If he saved his entire weekly allowance, it would take him twenty weeks to obtain the needed sum. This delay was not to be thought of. Was there any pretext³ on which he could ask his father for five dollars? He could think of none that would be likely to succeed. Had he been trusted with the purchase of his own clothes, he might have asked for a new coat and misapplied the money; but Mr. Drummond took care to order Joshua's clothes himself from the village tailor, and never did so without grumbling⁴ at the expense he was obliged[Pg 138] to incur⁵. Indeed, Joshua was not able to boast much of his clothes, for his father was not disposed to encourage extravagance in dress.

 

"Perhaps mother may have the money," thought Joshua. "If she has, I'll get it out of her."

 

He resolved at once to find out whether any help was to be obtained from this quarter, and with this object turned his steps at once homeward.

 

Mrs. Drummond was engaged in the homely⁶ employment of darning stockings when Joshua entered the house.

 

"You're home early, Joshua," she remarked, looking up.

 

"Yes, mother. Have you got anything good to eat?"

 

"I baked a small pie for you in a saucer. I thought that was the best way. The other evening your father noticed that a piece was gone from the half pie that was taken from the supper-table."

 

"How awful mean he is!"

 

"You shouldn't say that of your father, Joshua."

 

"It's true, mother, and you know it. He's the meanest man in town."

 

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