assed from mouth to mouth, all over the
playground.

"Gone for good," was the answer of those who knew to a certainty.

The boys set up first a groan, so loud that perhaps the departing usher
heard it. Then they gave a shout of joy, in which the little boys
joined with all their might--Hugh waving his cap in the apple-tree.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

WHAT IS ONLY TO BE HAD AT HOME.

Hugh got on far better with his lessons as he grew more intimate with
Dale. It was not so much that Dale helped him with his grammar and
construing (for Dale thought every boy should make shift to do his own
business) as that he liked to talk about his work, even with a younger
boy; and so, as he said, clear his head. A great deal that he said was
above Hugh's comprehension; and much of his repetitions mere words: but
there were other matters which fixed Hugh's attention, and proved to him
that study might be interesting out of school. When Dale had a theme to
write, the two boys often walked up and down the playground for half an
hour together, talking the subject over, and telling of anything they
had heard or read upon it. Hugh presently learned the names and the
meanings of the different parts of a theme; and he could sometimes help
with an illustration or example, though he left it to his friend to lay
down the Proposition, and search out the Confirmation. Dale's
nonsense-verses were perfect nonsense to Hugh: but his construing was
not: and when he went over it aloud, for the purpose of fixing his
lesson in his ear, as well as his mind, Hugh was sorry when they arrived
at the end, and eager to know what came next,--particularly if they had
to stop in the middle of a story of Ovid's. Every week, almost every
day now, made a great difference in Hugh's school-life. He still found
his lessons very hard work, and was often in great fear and pain about
them,--but he continually perceived new light breaking in upon his mind:
his memory served him better; the little he had learned came when he
wanted it, instead of just a minute too late. He rose in the morning
with less anxiety about the day: and when playing, could forget school.

There was no usher yet in Mr Carnaby's place; and all the boys said
their lessons to Mr Tooke himself: which Hugh liked very much, when he
had got over the first fear. A writing-master came from a distance
twice a week, when the whole school was at writing and arithmetic all
the afternoon: but every other