Horatio Alger

“ Robert laughed.
"Six days in the week will do for fish, mother," he said. "I think we shall be able to afford something else Sunday."
"Of course, fish is better than nothing," said his mother, who understood him literally; "and I suppose we ought to be thankful to get that."
"You don't look very much pleased at the prospect of fish six times a week," said Robert, laughing again. "On the whole, I think it will be better to say twice."
"But what will we do other days, Robert?"
"What we have always done, mother--eat something else. But I won't keep you longer in suspense. ”

“ This morning he was quite lucky, catching quite a fine lot of fish--as much, indeed, as his mother and himself would require a week to dispose of. However, he did not intend to carry them all home. It occurred to him that he could sell them at a market store in the village. Otherwise, he would not have cared to go on destroying life for no useful end.
Accordingly, on reaching the shore, he strung the fish and walked homeward, by way of the market. It was rather a heavy tug, for the fish he had caught weighed at least fifty pounds. ”

“ He's the meanest fellow I ever met. However, I won't talk about him any more, or it'll spoil my appetite."
On the next two mornings Robert went out at five o'clock, in order to get home in time for the market-wagon. He met with fair luck, but not as good as on the first day. Taking the two mornings together, he captured and sold seventy pounds of fish, which, as the price remained the same, brought him in a dollar and forty cents. ”