"True, Robert," said his mother, dubiously; "but we shall get tired of fish if we have it every day."
"Six days in the week will do for fish, mother," he said. "I think we shall be able to afford something else Sunday."
"Of course, fish is better than nothing," said his mother, who understood him literally; "and I suppose we ought to be thankful to get that."
"You don't look very much pleased at the prospect of fish six times a week," said Robert, laughing again. "On the whole, I think it will be better to say twice."
"But what will we do other days, Robert?"
"What we have always done, mother--eat something else. But I won't keep you longer in suspense. Did you think this was the only fish I caught?"
"I sold forty-five pounds on the way to Minturn, at his market store--forty-five pounds, at two cents a pound. What do you think of that?"
"Do you mean that you have earned ninety cents to-day, Robert?"
"That's much better than I expected," said Mrs. Rushton, looking several degrees more I cheerful.
"I don't expect to do as well as that every day, mother, but I don't believe we'll starve. Minturn has engaged me to supply him with fish every day, only some days the fishes won't feel like coming out of the water. Then, I forgot to tell you, I'm to have Will Paine's boat for nothing. He's going to boarding school, and has asked me to take care of it for him."
"I am hungry, too, mother. Those two sandwiches didn't go a great ways. So, if you can just as well as not have supper earlier, it would suit me."
"I'll put on the teakettle at once, Robert," said his mother, rising. "Would you like some of the fish for supper?"
The usual supper hour was at five in this country household, but a little after four the table was set, and mother and son sat down to a meal which both enjoyed. The fish proved to be excellent, and Robert enjoyed it the more, first, because he had caught it himself, and next because he felt that his independent stand at the factory, though it had lost him his place, was not likely to subject his mother to the privations he had feared.
"I'll take another piece of fish, mother," said Robert, passing his plate. "I think, on the whole, I shan't be obliged to learn to braid straw."