ere was a chance, on such occasions, that Firth
might be at leisure, or Dale able to help: so that, one way and another,
Hugh found his affairs improving as the spring advanced; and he began to
lose his anxiety, and to gain credit with the usher. He also now and
then won a place in his classes.

Towards the end of May, when the trees were full of leaf, and the
evenings sunny, and the open air delicious, quite up to bedtime, Phil
became persuaded, very suddenly, that Hugh could get on by himself now;
that it was not fair that he should be helped; and that it was even
hurtful to him to rely on any one but himself. If Phil had acted
gradually upon this conviction, withdrawing his help by degrees, it
might have been all very well: but he refused at once and decidedly to
have anything more to do with Hugh's lessons, as he was quite old and
forward enough now to do them by himself. This announcement threw his
brother into a state of consternation not at all favourable to learning;
and the next morning Hugh made 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complain to any master of its being now withdrawn.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 companio