, and proved to him
that study might be interesting out of school. When Dale had a theme to
write, the two boys often walked up and down the playground for half an
hour together, talking the subject over, and telling of anything they
had heard or read upon it. Hugh presently learned the names and the
meanings of the different parts of a theme; and he could sometimes help
with an illustration or example, though he left it to his friend to lay
down the Proposition, and search out the Confirmation. Dale's
nonsense-verses were perfect nonsense to Hugh: but his construing was
not: and when he went over it aloud, for the purpose of fixing his
lesson in his ear, as well as his mind, Hugh was sorry when they arrived
at the end, and eager to know what came next,--particularly if they had
to stop in the middle of a story of Ovid's. Every week, almost every day
now, made a great difference in Hugh's school-life. He still found his
lessons very hard work, and was often in great fear and pain about
them,--but he continually perceived new light breaking in upon his mind:
his memory served him better; the little he had learned came when he
wanted it, instead of just a minute too late. He rose in the morning
with less anxiety about the day: and when playing, could forget school.

There was no usher yet in Mr. Carnaby's place; and all the boys said
their lessons to Mr. Tooke himself: which Hugh liked very much, when he
had got over the first fear. A writing-master came from a distance
twice a-week, when the whole school was at writing and arithmetic all
the afternoon: but every other lesson was said to the master; and this
was likely to go on till Christmas, as the new usher, of whom, it was
said, Mr. Tooke thought so highly as to choose to wait for him, could
not come before that time. Of course, with so much upon his hands, Mr.
Tooke had not a moment to spare; and slow or idle boys were sent back to
their desks at the first trip or hesitation in their lessons. Hugh was
afraid, at the outset, that he should be like poor Lamb, who never got a
whole lesson said during these weeks: and he was turned down sometimes;
but not often enough to depress him. He learned to trust more to his ear
and his memory: his mind became excited, as in playing a game: and he
found he got through, he scarcely knew how. His feeling of fatigue
afterwards proved to him that this was harder work than he had ever done
at home; but he did not feel it so at the time.