"Ah! you don't understand school and school-boys yet," replied Firth. "To do a difficult lesson well is a grand affair at home, and the whole house knows of it. But it is the commonest thing in the world here. If you learn to feel with these boys, instead of expecting them to feel with you (which they cannot possibly do), you will soon find that they care for you accordingly." Hugh shook his head. "You will find in every school in England," continued Firth, "that it is not the way of boys to talk about feelings--about anybody's feelings. That is the reason why they do not mention their sisters or their mothers--except when two confidential friends are together, in a tree, or by themselves in the meadows. But, as sure as ever a boy is full of action--if he tops the rest at play--holds his tongue, or helps others generously--or shows a manly spirit without being proud of it, the whole school is his friend. You have done well, so far, by growing more and more sociable; but you will lose ground if you boast about your lessons out of school. To prosper at Crofton, you must put off home, and make yourself a Crofton boy." "I don't care about that," said Hugh. "I give it all up. There is nothing but injustice here." "Nothing but injustice! Pray, am I unjust?" "No--not you--not so far. But----" "Is Mr. Tooke unjust?" "Yes--very." "Pray how, and when?" "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."