She suspected that he was planning mischief that would lead to further trouble, and hoped that by next morning he would be in a frame of mind to be won over by a little motherly strategy.

But she went about her work with a heavy heart.

Later she took the impenitent young 'duffer' a tea cunningly designed to appeal to his rebellious heart, and spread it neatly on the big dimity-covered box in his bedroom; but Dick was implacable.
In the evening the widow had a visitor in whom she could confide without reservation.

Christina Shine had called about her new dress for the Sunday School anniversary, and the weakest and most indulgent of mothers could not have wished for a more sympathetic confidant than big Miss Chris, who saved all her tears for other people's troubles.
'You know, dear,' murmured Mrs.Haddon.

'I can't change Dickie's nature.
He's wild, an' he thinks he's all kinds of ridiculous people, an' they lead him into mischief.' 'Poor Dick! I shouldn't have let them beat him,' said Chris, flushing with indignation.
'An' he just as eager for good, you know,' continued the widow, 'but then nobody makes any fuss over him when he does something really creditable.' Chris nodded her head reproachfully.