i.

[20] See Genesis xxxvii.

[21] #Lord Grey#: he introduced a famous bill for
parliamentary reform which was passed in 1832.

TOM IS STIFF-NECKED.

For our purposes, however, the history of one night's reading will be
sufficient, which must be told here, now we are on the subject, though
it didn't happen till a year afterwards, and long after the events
recorded in the next chapter of our story.

Arthur, Tom, and East were together one night, and read the story of
Naaman coming to Elisha to be cured of his leprosy.[22] When the
chapter was finished, Tom shut his Bible with a slap.

[22] See 2 Kings, Chapter V.

"I can't stand that fellow Naaman," said he, "after what he'd seen and
felt, going back and bowing himself down in the house of Rimmon,
because his effeminate scoundrel of a master did it. I wonder Elisha
took the trouble to heal him. How he must have despised him!"

"Yes, there you go off as usual; with a shell on your head," struck in
East, who always took the opposite side to Tom; half from love of
argument, half from conviction. "How do you know he didn't think
better of it? how do you know his master was a scoundrel? His letter
doesn't look like it, and the book doesn't say so."

"I don't care," rejoined Tom; "why did Naaman talk about bowing down,
then, if he didn't mean to do it? He wasn't likely to get more in
earnest when he got back to court and away from the prophet."

"Well, but Tom," said Arthur, "look what Elisha says to him: 'Go in
peace.' He wouldn't have said that if Naaman had been in the wrong."

"I don't see that that means more than saying: 'You're not the man I
took you for.'"

"No, no, that won't do at all," said East; "read the words fairly, and
take men as you find them. I like Naaman, and think he was a very fine
fellow."

"I don't," said Tom, positively.

"Well I think East is right," said Arthur; "I can't see but what it's
right to do the best you can, though it mayn't be the best absolutely.
Every man isn't born to be a martyr."

"Of course, of course," said East; "but he's on one of his pet
hobbies. How often have I told you, Tom, that you must drive a nail
where it'll go."

"And how often have I told you," rejoined Tom, "that it'll always go
where you want, if you only stick to it and hit hard enough. I hate
half measures and compromises."

"Yes, he's a whole hog man, is Tom. Must have the whole animal, hair
and teeth, claws and tail," laug