“Please, sir, he asked me,” said the boy in protest; and there was a frank, bluff manner in his speech which took with the doctor.
“Humph!” he said. “Would you like to leave this place, and come and live with me!”
The boy puckered up his face, took a step forward, and the master made a movement as if to send him back; but the doctor laid his hand upon his arm, while the boy gazed into his eyes for some moments with wonderfully searching intentness.
“Well?” said the doctor. “Will you?”
The boy’s face smoothed; a bright light danced in his eyes; and, as if full of confidence in his own judgment, he said eagerly—
“Yes; come along;” and he held out his hand.
“And leave all your schoolfellows!” said the doctor.
The boy’s bright face clouded directly, and he turned to gaze back at the crowd of closely cropped heads.
“He’ll be glad enough to go,” said the schoolmaster.
“Yes,” said Mr Hippetts; “a most ungrateful boy.”