could
construe had a good piece of Latin to prepare; and all had either Latin
or English verses to learn by heart. Mrs Shaw made a point of her
young visitors sitting down every morning after breakfast to their
business; and Hugh was anxious to spare no pains, this time, about his
theme, that, if he was to be praised, he might deserve it. He saw that
Holt could not fix his attention well, either upon work or play; and one
morning, when Hugh was pondering how, without knowing anything of
history, he should find a modern example to match well with his ancient
one (which he had picked up by chance), Holt burst upon his meditation
with--

"I have a good mind to tell you what has been upon my mind this ever so
long."

"Wait a minute," said Hugh. "I must find my example first."

No example could he find, to his satisfaction, this day. He gave it up
till to-morrow, and then asked Holt what was on his mind. But Holt now
drew back, and did not think he could tell. This made Hugh press; and
Hugh's pressing looked like sympathy, and gave Holt courage: so that the
thing came out at last. Holt was very miserable, for he was deep in
debt, and the boys never let him alone about it; and he did not see how
he should ever pay, as nobody was likely to give him any money.

"Remember, it is only sixpence that you owe me--not a shilling," said
Hugh.

Holt sighed. Perhaps he had hoped that Hugh would excuse him
altogether. He explained that this sixpence was not all, nor the chief
part. He told that, when the whole school was on the heath, one
Saturday, they had seen a balloon rising at a distance, and some boys
began betting about what direction it would move in when it ceased to
rise perpendicularly. The betting spread till the boys told him he must
bet, or he would be the only one left out, and would look like a shabby
fellow.

"And you did?" exclaimed Hugh. "How silly!"

"You would have done it, if you had been there."

"No: I should not."

"Yes, you would. Or, if you had not, it would have been because of--I
know what."

"Because of what, pray?"

"Because of something the boys say about you. They say you are very
fond of money."

"I! Fond of money! I declare I never heard of such a thing."

"Well, you know you made a great fuss about that half-crown."

"As if it was about the money!" cried Hugh. "I should not have cared a
bit if my uncle had asked me for it back again the next day. It was the
being c