[CHAPTER XIV.]
EARNEST ENDEAVOURS.
WHEN Tom told his mother the news brought by Jack, and that Mr. Murray and the clergyman had both agreed that he might try for this scholarship, she was quite overcome. For she had begun to blame herself very bitterly for moving so hastily, and thus depriving her children of educational advantages she had scarcely thought of at their true value, until she came here and found the difference in the schools.
Tom had continued his attendance after the fight with Bill Crane, but she felt sure it was rather to please her than from any real interest he took in his work there.
In this, however, she was mistaken. Tom did not say anything about it at home, but the fight with the redoubtable Bill had certainly improved his position with his school-mates. They talked of him among themselves as a "jolly plucky chap," though he did come from "Lunnon," where no boy was supposed to know how to fight. In school, this opinion of him gradually leavened and altered their behaviour towards him, and they were ready to forgive his fluent reading and better writing than their own, in consideration of his being able to stand up to the village bully, of whom every boy had been secretly afraid until Tom braved him.
Without knowing exactly why or how it had come about, Tom found his position at school far more tolerable as time went on than it was at first; and he was gradually becoming oblivious of the noise that disturbed him so much at first. So that when he told his mother of the scholarship plan, he made no complaint about not being able to learn lessons in such a school.
Mrs. Winn had burst into tears when she first heard the wonderful news, and that greatly disconcerted Tom.
"Don't cry, mother, don't cry," he said, putting his arm round her neck and kissing her. "I really do mean to work hard this time, and I daresay Mr. Murray will help me a bit extra, if he sees I'm in downright earnest, for I think he was rather pleased that we went to ask him about it, and he likes Elsie, I know."
"Yes, yes, dear, you will try now, I am sure," said the widow, trying to smile at Tom through her tears. "I am afraid it will be harder work for you this time, than if you had kept steadily on under Mr. Potter; but we must not mind that. And Elsie and I will do all we can to help you."
"Yes, mother, don't be afraid, will you? I really will, for your sake, work hard now. Elsie has got the books you bought for her when she was swatting up for her exam., and I daresay they will help me. I'll take them to school on Monday morning, and ask Mr. Murray to set me some extra lessons in grammar and geography. Now, come and see Jack, mother, before he goes; he is having a bit of bread and cheese before he starts."