ade several blunders. He did the same every
day that week; was every afternoon detained from play to learn his
lessons again; and on the Saturday morning (repetition day) he lost all
the places he had gained, and left off at the bottom of every class.

What could Mr Crabbe suppose but that a sudden fit of idleness was the
cause of this falling back? It appeared so to him, and to the whole
school; and poor Hugh felt as if there was scorn in every eye that
looked upon his disgrace. He thought there could not be a boy in the
school who did not see or hear that he was at the bottom of every class.

Mr Crabbe always desired to be just: and he now gave Hugh the
opportunity of explaining, if he had anything to say. He remained in
the school-room after the boys had left it, and asked Hugh a question or
two. But Hugh sobbed and cried so bitterly that he could not speak so
as to be understood; and he did not wish to explain, feeling that he was
much obliged to Phil for his former help, and that he ought not to
complain to any master of its being now withdrawn. So Mr Crabbe could
only hope that next week would show a great difference, and advise him
to go out with the rest this afternoon, to refresh himself for a new
effort.

Hugh did not know whether he had not rather have been desired to stay at
home than go out among so many who considered him disgraced. It really
was hard (though Holt stood by him, and Dale was his companion as usual)
to bear the glances he saw, and the words that came to his ear. Some
boys looked to see how red his eyes were: some were surprised to see him
abroad, and hinted a favouritism because he was not shut up in the
school-room. Some asked whether he could say his alphabet yet; and
others whether he could spell "dunce." The most cruel thing of all was
to see Tooke in particularly high spirits. He kept away from Hugh; but
Hugh's eye followed him from afar, and saw that he capered and laughed,
and was gayer than at any time this half-year. Hugh saw into his heart
(or thought he did) as plain as he saw to the bottom of the clear stream
in the meadows, to which they were bound for their afternoon's sport.

"I know what Tooke is feeling," thought he. "He is pleased to see me
lowered, as long as it is not his doing. He is sorry to see me suffer
by my lameness; because that hurts his conscience: but he is pleased to
see me wrong and disgraced, because that relieves him of the feeling of
being