n, very gravely.

"Four or five dollars! That's all! That's all you and I have got left in
the world to live on, and even that's not mine!"

His voice shook with agony, and he raised one hand to his forehead, not
dramatically, as many foreigners would do, but quietly and firmly, and
he pressed and kneaded the surface as if he were trying to push his
brains back into the right place, so that they would work, or at least
keep quiet. After that answer Newton was too sensible to ask any more
questions, and perhaps he was also a little afraid to, because questions
might make his father worse.

"Well," he said vaguely, "if I can't work at the City I suppose I may as
well go out before it's dark and take a look at the pond. It's going to
freeze hard to-night, and maybe there'll be black ice that'll bear by
to-morrow."

Overholt was glad to be left alone, for he could not help being ashamed
of having broken down so completely before the boy, and he felt that he
could not recover his self-control unless he were left to himself.

He heard Newton go up the rickety stairs to his own room, where he
seemed to be rummaging about for some time, judging from the noises
overhead; then the strong shoes clattered on the staircase again, the
house door was opened and shut, and the boy was off.

VI

HOW A SMALL BOY DID A BIG THING AND NAILED DOWN THE LID OF THE BOX

Newton went to the pond, because he said he was going out for that
purpose, and it might be convenient to be able to swear that he had
really been down to the water's edge. As if to enjoy the pleasure of
anticipation, too, he had his skates with him in a green flannel bag,
though it was quite out of the question that the ice should bear
already, and it was not even likely that the water would be already
frozen over. However, he took the skates with him, a very good pair, of
a new model, which his father had given him towards the end of the
previous winter, so that he had not used them more than half a dozen
times. It was very cold, but of course the ice would not bear yet. The
sun had not set, and as he was already half-way to the town, the boy
apparently thought he might as well go on instead of returning at once
to the cottage, where he would have to occupy himself with his books
till supper-time, supposing that it occurred to his father to have any
supper in his present condition. The prospect was not wildly gay, and
besides, something must be done at once. Ne