"

"He has been so unjust to me, that if it had not been for something, I
could not have borne it. I am not going to tell you what that something
is: only you need not be afraid but that I can bear everything. If the
whole world was against me----"

"Well, never mind what that something is; but tell me how Mr. Tooke is
unjust to you."

"He punished me when I did not deserve it; and he praised me when I did
not deserve it. I was cheated and injured that Saturday; and, instead of
seeing me righted, Mr. Tooke ordered me to be punished. And to-day, when
my theme was so badly done that I made sure of being blamed, he praised
me."

"This might be injustice at home," replied Firth, "because parents know,
or ought to know, all that is in their children's minds, and exactly
what their children can do. A school-master can judge only by what he
sees. Mr. Tooke does not know yet that you could have done your theme
better than you did--as your mother would have known. When he finds you
can do better, he will not praise such a theme again. Meantime, how you
can boast of his praise, if you think it unjust, is the wonder to me."

"So it is to me now. I wish I had never asked to do that theme at all,"
cried Hugh, again stretching himself to get rid of his shame. "But why
did Mr. Tooke order me to be caned? Why did he not make Lamb and Holt
pay me what they owe? I was injured before; and he injured me more."

"You were to be caned because you left the heath and entered a house,
without leave--not because you had been cheated of your money."

"But I did not know where I was going. I never meant to enter a house."

"But you did both; and what you suffered will prevent your letting
yourself be led into such a scrape again. As for the money part of the
matter--a school is to boys what the world is when they become men. They
must manage their own affairs among themselves. The difference is, that
here is the master to be applied to, if we choose. He will advise you
about your money, if you choose to ask him: but, for my part, I would
rather put up with the loss, if I were you."

"Nobody will ever understand what I mean about justice," muttered Hugh.

"Suppose," said Firth, "while you are complaining of injustice in this
way, somebody else should be complaining in the same way of your
injustice."

"Nobody can--fairly," replied Hugh.

"Do you see that poor fellow, skulking there under the orchard-wall?"

"What, Holt?"

"Yes, Hol