eminate scoundrel of a master did it. I wonder Elisha took the
trouble to heal him. How he must have despised him."

"Yes, there you go off as usual, with a shell on your head," struck in
East, who always took the opposite side to Tom; half from love of
argument, half from conviction. "How do you know he didn't think better
of it? how do you know his master was a scoundrel? His letter don't look
like it, and the book don't say so."

"I don't care," rejoined Tom; "why did Naaman talk about bowing down,
then, if he didn't mean to do it? He wasn't likely to get more in
earnest when he got back to court, and away from the prophet."

"Well but, Tom," said Arthur, "look what Elisha says to him, 'Go in
peace.' He wouldn't have said that if Naaman had been in the wrong."

"I don't see that that means more than saying, 'You're not the man I
took you for.'"

"No, no, that won't do at all," said East; "read the words fairly, and
take men as you find them. I like Naaman, and think he was a very fine
fellow."

"I don't," said Tom, positively.

"Well, I think East is right," said Arthur; "I can't see but what it's
right to do the best you can, though it mayn't be the best absolutely.
Every man isn't born to be a martyr."

"Of course, of course," said East; "but he's on one of his pet hobbies.
How often have I told you, Tom, that you must drive a nail where it'll
go."

"And how often have I told you," rejoined Tom, "that it'll always go
where you want, if you only stick to it and hit hard enough. I hate half
measures and compromises."

"Yes, he's a whole-hog man, is Tom. Must have the whole animal, hair and
teeth, claws and tail," laughed East. "Sooner have no bread any day than
half the loaf."

"I don't know," said Arthur, "it's rather puzzling; but ain't most right
things got by proper compromises, I mean where the principle isn't given
up?"

"That's just the point," said Tom; "I don't object to a compromise where
you don't give up your principle."

"Not you," said East, laughingly. "I know him of old, Arthur, and you'll
find him out some day. There isn't such a reasonable fellow in the
world, to hear him talk. He never wants anything but what's right and
fair; only when you come to settle what's right and fair, it's
everything that he wants, and nothing that you want. And that's his idea
of a compromise. Give me the Brown compromise when I'm on his side."

"Now, Harry," said Tom, "no more chaff--I'm serious. Look