Hugh was very uncomfortable. He really could not remember having made
this promise: but he could not be sure that he had not. He asked Holt if
he thought he should like to be in people's way, to spoil the holiday by
going where he was not wished for; but this sort of remonstrance did not
comfort Holt at all. Hugh offered that he should have the very next
turn, if he would give up now.

"I dare say! And when will that be? You know on Sunday it will want only
nineteen days to the holidays; and you will not be going to your uncle's
again this half-year. A pretty way of putting me off!"

Then, as if a sudden thought had struck him, he cried,

"But Proctor has to take somebody."

"Yes; Phil takes Tooke. They settled that a week ago."

"Oh! can't you ask him to take me?"

"No; I shall not meddle with Phil. Besides, I am glad he has chosen
Tooke. Tooke behaved well to me about the sponge, that day. Tooke has
some spirit."

This put Holt in mind of the worst of his adventures since he came to
Crofton, and of all the miseries of being shunned as a tell-tale. He
cried so bitterly as to touch Hugh's heart. As if thinking aloud, Hugh
told him that he seemed very forlorn, and that he wished he would find a
friend to be intimate with. This would make him so much happier as he
had no idea of; as he himself had found since he had had Dale for a
friend.

This naturally brought out a torrent of reproaches, which was followed
by a hot argument; Holt insisting that Hugh ought to have been his
intimate friend; and Hugh asking how he could make a friend of a boy who
wanted spirit. They broke away from one another at last, Hugh declaring
Holt to be unreasonable and selfish, and Holt thinking Hugh cruel and
insulting.

Of course Mrs. Watson would not hear of Holt's going to Mr. Shaw, to ask
for an invitation for Saturday. He was told he must wait till another
time. It was no great consolation to Holt that on Sunday it would want
only nineteen days to the holidays: for he was to remain at Crofton. He
hoped to like the holidays better than school-days, and to be petted by
Mrs. Watson, and to sit by the fire, instead of being forced into the
playground in all weathers: but still he could not look forward to
Christmas with the glee which other boys felt.

CHAPTER VIII.

A LONG DAY.

Hugh, meantime, was counting the hours till Saturday. Perhaps, if the
truth were known, so was Phil, though he was too old to acknowledge such