I had told him this, and he knew it, Miss, but he got a good
many idle acquaintances, as I told you, and they tempted him often to do
bold reckless things such as boys call brave."
"It was one morning at the end of September, Bob says to me, 'Father, we
are going to keep my birthday; I am sixteen to-day,' and so he was,
bless him, sixteen the very day he died. 'We are going to keep my
birthday,' says he, 'Newton, and Somers, and Franklin, and I, we are all
going to Witton,' that is the next town, Miss, as you may know, 'we are
going to have a sail there, and dine at grandmother's, and home again at
night, eh Father.' 'Bob,' says I, 'I can't give my consent; that
ticklish sailing boat of young Woods' requires wiser heads and steadier
hands than your's to manage. You know my opinion of sailing, and you
won't grieve me, I hope, by going.' I might have told him, but I did
not, that I did not like the lads he was going with, but I knew that
would only make him angry, and do no good just as his heart was set upon
a frolic with them, so I said nought of that, but I tried to win him,
(that's my way with the young ones,) though I failed this time; go he
would, and he would have gone, let me have been as angry as you please.
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