as the
spring came on, he was found by one friend or another lying on the grass
with his face hidden, he was often praying with tears for help in doing
this duty, when he was thought to be grieving that he could not play at
leaping or foot-ball, like other boys. And yet, the very next evening,
when the whole school were busy over their books, and there was nothing
to interfere with his work, he would pore over his lesson without taking
in half the sense, while his fancy was straying everywhere but where it
ought;--perhaps to little Harry, or the Temple Gardens at home, or to
Cape Horn, or Japan--some way farther off still. It did not often happen
now, as formerly, that he forgot before morning a lesson well learned
over-night. He was aware that now everything depended on whether he was
once sure of his lesson; but the difficulty was in once being sure of
it.

Finding Phil's kindness continue through the first weeks and months of
the half-year, Hugh took courage at last to open his mind pretty freely
to his brother, offering to do anything in the world for Phil, if he
would only hear him his lessons every evening till he could say them
perfect. Phil was going to plead that he had no time, when Hugh popped
out--

"The thing is that it does not help me to say them to just anybody.
Saying them to somebody that I am afraid of is what I want."

"Why, you are not afraid of me?" said Phil.

"Yes I am--rather."

"What for?"

"Oh, because you are older;--and you are so much more of a Crofton boy
than I am--and you are very strict--and altogether----"

"Yes, you will find me pretty strict, I can tell you," said Phil, unable
to restrain a complacent smile on finding that somebody was afraid of
him. "Well, we must see what we can do. I will hear you to-night, at any
rate."

Between his feeling of kindness and the gratification of his vanity,
Phil found himself able to hear his brother's lessons every evening. He
was certainly very strict, and was not sparing of such pushes, joggings,
and ridicule as were necessary to keep Hugh up to his work. Those were
very provoking sometimes; but Hugh tried to bear them for the sake of
the gain. Whenever Phil would condescend to explain, in fresh words, the
sense of what Hugh had to learn, he saved trouble to both, and the
lesson went off quickly and easily: but sometimes he would not explain
anything, and soon went away in impatience, leaving Hugh in the midst of
his perplexities. Th