noon
It filled Dick with a sense of deepest satisfaction to realize that he was actually earning real money ; and again and again he pictured the look of happiness that he knew would flash over the face of his mother when he told her of his success ; of course the job was only a temporary one , but then it certainly seemed like the harbinger of other good things to come . He whistled at his work , and the miller thought this merry-hearted lad was worth having around as an inspiration , even though he might not be as sturdy a worker as his big-muscled Toby . But Dick was possessed of indomitable pluck , and after he grew a little accustomed to the work he thoroughly satisfied his employer . At noon he heard a conch shell blown , and washing up as Mr. Cartwright had directed him , he proceeded to the house , where he sat down to a bountiful spread that was certainly a joyous sight in the eyes of a hungry boy . He only wished the little mother were sitting beside him instead of big Toby , now well on the road to recovery . And all that afternoon , when he felt tired from the unusual employment of his muscles , he cheered himself up with the thought of how proud he would be to place that first dollar and a quarter in the hand of the waiting little woman in the cottage by the river bank -- for it was one of the miller 's peculiarities to do a cash business , and pay any one working for him each day after the hour for stopping arrived . It was a tiresome walk back to town and then out home , but Dick strode along with a light heart , and having changed his mind about his homecoming stopped in town to buy something in the way of groceries which he knew would fill a long-felt want at home .