As he flourished about, and played antics, Agnes heard the pit-pat of his crutches, and she thought she might as well have been there, if they had told all their secrets, and had got to play. But the noise did not last long, for Hugh's performances did not make Tooke very merry; and the boys sat down quietly again. "Now, I'll tell you what," said Tooke. "I am a bigger and stronger boy than you, without considering this accident I'll take care of you all the time you are at Crofton: and always afterwards, if I can. Mind you that. If anybody teases you, you call me,--that's all. Say you will." "Why," said Hugh, "I had rather take care of myself. I had rather make no difference between you and everybody else." "There now! You don't forgive me, after all." "I do,--upon my word, I do. But why should I make any difference between you and the rest, when you did not mean me any harm,--any more than they? Besides, it might make people suspect." "Well, let them. Sometimes I wish," continued Tooke, twisting himself about in the uneasiness of his mind, "sometimes I wish that everybody knew now. They say murderers cannot keep their secret. They are sure to tell, when they cannot bear it any longer." "That is because of their consciences," said Hugh. "But you are not guilty of anything, you know. I am sure I can keep a secret easily enough, when I am not to blame in it." "Yes! You have shown that. But--" "Come! Don't let us talk any more about that--only just this. Has anybody accused you? Because I must know,--I must be on my guard." "Nobody has said a word, because my father put us all upon honour never to mention it: but I always feel as if all their eyes were upon me all day,--and sometimes in the night." "Nonsense! I don't believe anybody has pitched on you particularly. And when school opens again, all their eyes will be on me, to see how I manage. But I don't mean to mind that. Anybody may stare that likes." Hugh sighed, however, after saying this; and Tooke was silent. At length he declared,-- "Whatever you say against it, I shall always take your part: and you have only to ask me, and I will always run anywhere, and do anything for you. Mind you that." "Thank you," said Hugh. "Now tell me about the new usher; for I dare say you know more than the other boys do. Holt and I shall be under him altogether, I suppose." "Yes: and you will be well off, by what I hear. He is as little like Mr Carnaby as need be." All the rest of the afternoon was taken up with stories of Mr Carnaby and other ushers, so that the boys were surprised when the maid came to tell them that tea was ready. Agnes was making tea. Hugh was so eager to repeat to his uncle some of the good stories that he had just heard, that he did not observe, as his aunt did, how red his sister's fingers were, and how she shivered still. "My dear," said Mrs Shaw, "you have let these boys keep you away from the fire."