He seemed to see his mother's face, and it encouraged him to
be brave. It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, "Yes, Papa,
I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the
time."
"Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to
see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
Your uncle John will look after you and see that nothing happens to you."
So the matter was settled. In a few days Henry Hill was off for a month of
pleasure, leaving the children in Austin's care. He was right in thinking
that his brother-in-law, John Moore, would look after the children. Mr.
Moore was a brother to the children's mother and had the same noble
principles as she had. He would gladly have taken the entire care of the
children, but he thought it was their father's place to have their
oversight, so stood back and said little. But when he knew they were left
alone in the farmhouse, he was careful to know each morning and evening
that all was well with them.
"Austin is as steady and reliable as a little old man," said his uncle
after one of his visits. "He manages things over there as well as many an
older person could."
"How a father could put so much on a mere child is a mystery," said some of
the neighbor women.
"I would hate to be tied to a kitchen and a row of babies like he is," was
his cousin Frank's opinion.
But of all these comments Austin was ignorant, nor did he think he was
doing anything brave.
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