"But how came you to be there? It was past bedtime. Had you leave to
be up so late?"

"I did not ask it; and nobody meddled with me."

"Was anybody there with you?"

"Yes, Firth. Dale would not. He was afraid and he kept away."

"Oh! Is not he very sorry?"

"Of course. Nobody can help being sorry."

"Do they all seem sorry? What did they do? What do they say?"

"Oh! They are very sorry; you must know that."

"Anybody more than the rest?"

"Why some few of them cried; but I don't know that that shows them to be
more sorry. It is some people's way to cry--and others not."

Hugh wished much to learn something about Tooke; but, afraid of showing
what was in his thoughts, he went off to quite another subject.

"Do you know, Phil," said he, "you would hardly believe it, but I have
never been half so miserable as I was the first day or two I came here?
I don't care now, half so much, for all the pain, and for being lame,
and--Oh! But I can never be a soldier or a sailor--I can never go round
the world! I forgot that."

And poor Hugh hid his face in his pillow.

"Never mind!" said Phil, stooping over him very kindly. "Here is a long
time before you; and you will get to like something else just as well.
Papa wanted to be a soldier, remember, and could not; and he is as happy
as ever he can be, now that he is a shop-keeper in London. Did you ever
see anybody merrier than my father is? I never did. Come! Cheer up,
Hugh! You will be very happy somehow."

Phil kissed him: and when Hugh looked up in surprise, Phil's eyes were
full of tears.

"Now I have a good mind to ask you," said Hugh, "something that has been
in my mind ever since."

"Ever since when?"

"Ever since I came to Crofton. What could be the reason that you were
not more kind to me then?"

"I! Not kind?" said Phil, in some confusion. "Was not I kind?"

"No. At least I thought not. I was so uncomfortable,--I did not know
anybody, or what to do; and I expected you would show me, and help me.
I always thought I could not have felt lonely with you here; and then
when I came, you got out of my way, as if you were ashamed of me, and
you did not help me at all; and you laughed at me."

"No; I don't think I did that."

"Yes, you did, indeed."

"Well, you know, little boys always have to shift for themselves when
they go to a great school--"

"But why, if they have brothers there? That is the very thing I want to
know. I thi