The patch of squashes-counting chickens before they are hatched-ifs-ducks, and the bright side-explanation-hopeful Nat-Nathaniel Bowditch-Sir Humphrey Davy-Buxton-benefit of hopefulness-the squashes coming up-Frank Martin-"all play and no work"-Ben Drake-scene when Nat was four years old-"thinking on his own hook"-men of mark think for themselves-"niggers' work"-great men not ashamed of useful work-the harvest-day-Frank's surprise-Nat as a peddler-his sister-his drawings-Samuel Budgett, Dr. Kitto, and the rich merchant peddling-"creep before you can walk"-the errand-boy and his success-what his culture of squashes shows 1-17

Winter-in school-proposition to declaim-the dialogue, "Alexander the Great and a Robber"-Nat is the robber-his reason-sympathy for the poor and unfortunate-the dialogue learned and spoken-Nat's eloquence-some boys who declaim poorly at first make orators at last-Demosthenes-Daniel Webster-Nat declaiming before visitors-the petition for shorter lessons-Nat won't sign it-Sam Drake's predicament-the teacher hears of the movement-his remarks about dull scholars-Newton, Dr. Barrows, Adam Clarke, Chatterton, Napoleon, etc.-necessity of application 17-27

The bright summer-time-sport at Frank's-the dog "Trip" playing hy-spy-the boys hiding-Trip finding them-the result of the first game-the second game-the court scene-talk about it with Sylvester Jones-Nat goes to court-the prisoners are two of his schoolmates-his sympathy for them-examination of witnesses-the remarks of the justice-Nat proposes to plead their case-the sensation and result-what was said of it-another instance of Nat's sympathy-what it foreshadowed-Howard-Wilberforce-Buxton 28-37