he takes Nat 's disgrace to heart sadly . He is a strange boy ; I wonder if I ever shall understand him thoroughly ? '' said Mrs. Jo to herself , as she thought over Dan 's late improvement with real satisfaction , yet felt that there was more in the lad than she had at first suspected . One of things which cut Nat most deeply was an act of Tommy 's , for after his loss Tommy had said to him , kindly , but firmly , `` I do n't wish to hurt you , Nat , but you see I ca n't afford to lose my money , so I guess we wo n't be partners any longer ; '' and with that Tommy rubbed out the sign , `` T. Bangs & Co. '' Nat had been very proud of the `` Co. , '' and had hunted eggs industriously , kept his accounts all straight , and had added a good sum to his income from the sale of his share of stock in trade . `` O Tom ! must you ? '' he said , feeling that his good name was gone for ever in the business world if this was done . `` I must , '' returned Tommy , firmly . `` Emil says that when one man ` bezzles -LRB- believe that 's the word it means to take money and cut away with it -RRB- the property of a firm , the other one sues him , or pitches into him somehow , and wo n't have any thing more to do with him . Now you have ` bezzled my property ; I sha n't sue you , and I sha n't pitch into you , but I must dissolve the partnership , because I ca n't trust you , and I do n't wish to fail . '' `` I ca n't make you believe me , and you wo n't take my money , though I 'd be thankful to give all my dollars if you 'd only say you do n't think I took your money . Do let me hunt for you , I wo n't ask any wages , but do it for nothing . I know all the places , and I like it , '' pleaded Nat . But Tommy shook his head , and his jolly round face looked suspicious and hard as he said , shortly , `` Ca n't do it ; wish you did n't know the places . Mind you do n't go hunting on the sly , and speculate in my eggs . '' Poor Nat was so hurt that he could not get over it . He felt that he had lost not only his partner and patron , but that he was bankrupt in honor , and an outlaw from the business community . No one trusted his word , written or spoken , in spite of his efforts to redeem the past falsehood ; the sign was down , the firm broken up , and he a ruined man . The barn , which was the boys ' Wall Street , knew him no more . Cockletop and her sisters cackled for him in vain , and really seemed to take his misfortune to heart , for eggs were fewer , and some of the biddies retired in disgust to new nests , which Tommy could not find .
`` They trust me , '' said XXXXX , when he heard of it ; and though the boys shouted at the idea , Nat found comfort in it , for when one is down in the world , the confidence of even a speckled hen is most consoling .
Co. Cockletop Dan Emil Jo Nat Tom Tommy bezzles first