CHAPTER IX: A PAINFUL TIME

When Ned was left alone he rolled himself up in the blankets, placed a pillow which Polly had brought him under his head, and lay and looked at the fire; but it was not until the flames had died down, and the last red glow had faded into blackness that he fell off to sleep.

His thoughts were bitter in the extreme. He pictured to himself the change which would take place in his home life with Mulready the manufacturer, the tyrant of the workmen, ruling over it. For himself he doubted not that he would be able to hold his own.

"He had better not try on his games with me," he muttered savagely. "Though I am only sixteen he won't find it easy to bully me; but of course Charlie and Lucy can't defend themselves. However, I will take care of them. Just let him be unkind to them, and see what comes of it! As to mother, she must take what she gets, at least she deserves to. Only to think of it! only to think of it! Oh, how bitterly she will come to repent! How could she do it!

"And with father only dead a year! But I must stand by her, too. I promised father to be kind to her, though he could never have guessed how she would need it. He meant that I would only put up, without losing my temper, with her way of always pretending to be ill, and never doing anything but lie on the sofa and read poetry. Still, of course, it meant I was to be kind anyhow, whatever happened, and I will try to be so, though it is hard when she has brought such trouble upon us all.

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. sixteen
2. yes
3. a mother
4. dead
5. yes
6. unknown
7. yes
8. she must take what she gets
9. she deserves to
10. to be kind to her
11. no
12. when the flames had died dow
13. yes
14. Mulready
15. the manufacturer,
16. yes
17. poetry
18. on the sofa
19. unknown
20. yes
1. How old was Fred?
2. Did Ned have family?
3. Who?
4. Where is his father?
5. Did he have siblings?
6. Were they older or younger?
7. Did he feel as if he had to protect them?
8. How did he feel about his mother?
9. Why?
10. What had Ted promised his father?
11. Was he bitter?
12. When did he finally fall asleep?
13. Did he have a blanket?
14. Who was he thinking about?
15. Who was that?
16. Was he known to be a tyrant?
17. What did his mother like to read?
18. Where would she do that?
19. Was she dating Mulready?
20. Was Mulready in control of their home?