aunt, but still he relished the
warm drink, for the night was cool, and more than ever he rejoiced to
see how much his aunt enjoyed what had latterly been rather a rare
luxury.

About nine o'clock Robert went to bed and very soon fell asleep.

He had not been asleep long before he was conscious of being rudely
shaken.

Opening his eyes, he saw his uncle with inflamed face and thickened
utterance.

"What's wanted, uncle?" he asked.

"Where's that money, you young rascal? Give me the dollar and forty-two
cents you're hiding from me!"

CHAPTER VI

MAN AGAINST BOY

As Robert, scarcely awake, looked into the threatening face of his uncle
he felt that the crisis had come and that all his firmness and manliness
were demanded.

Our hero was not disposed to rebel against just authority. He recognized
that his uncle, poor as his guardianship was, had some claim to his
obedience.

In any ordinary matter he would have unhesitatingly obeyed him. But, in
the present instance, he felt that his aunt's comfort depended, in a
measure, upon his retention of the small amount of money which he was
fortunate enough to possess.

Of course he had thought of all this before he went to sleep, and he had
decided, in case his uncle heard of his good luck, to keep the money at
all hazards.

For a minute he remained silent, meeting calmly the angry and impatient
glance of his uncle.

"Give me that money, I tell you!" demanded the fisherman with thickened
utterance.

"I haven't got any money of yours, Uncle John," said Robert, now forced
to say something.

"You lie, boy! You've got a dollar and forty-two cents."

"I haven't got as much as that, but I have nearly as much."

"Have you been spending any more money?"

"I bought a loaf of bread for six cents."

"Then you've got a dollar and thirty-six cents left."

"Yes, I have."

"Give it to me!"

"You want to spend it for rum, I suppose, uncle."

"Curse your impudence! What difference does it make to you what I do
with it?"

Robert rose to a sitting posture, and, carried away by just indignation,
he said:

"I mean to keep that money and spend it for my aunt. There ought to be
no need of it. You ought to support her yourself and supply her with all
she needs; but, instead of that, you selfishly spend all your money on
drink and leave her to get along the best way she can!"

"You young rascal!" exclaimed his uncle, half ashamed and wholly angry.
"Is that the w