 He teaches himself English and the books he reads lead him to doubt the simplicity of his mother's faith; he is excommunicated from the Calvinistic Methodists after attacking Rhys's schoolteacher when he caught the latter beating Rhys, but continues searching for the truth whilst becoming active as a leader among the miners in their fight against an incompetent English supervisor who is badly mismanaging the mine to the detriment of the owners and workers alike.After a workers' riot which he has tried hard to prevent, Bob is imprisoned on false charges; during his absence, the family declines into deep poverty.Meanwhile, the English steward is fired and replaced by his Welsh predecessor, who is also a deacon with the Congregationalists, and who sees that the family is provided for and that Bob is reinstated on good terms when he comes out of prison.