“You had better say so,” advised Hugh; “and then they will see that you had never been at school, and did not know how to manage.”
The first Saturday had been partly dreaded, and partly longed for, by Hugh. He had longed for the afternoon’s ramble; but Saturday morning was the time for saying tables, among other things. Nothing happened as he had expected. The afternoon was so rainy that there was no going out; and, as for the tables, he was in a class of five; and “four times seven” did not come to him in regular course. Eight times seven did, and he said “fifty-six” with great satisfaction, Mr Carnaby asked him afterwards the dreaded question, but he was on his guard; and as he answered it right, and the usher had not found out the joke, he hoped he should hear no more of the matter.
The next Saturday was fine, and at last he was to have the walk he longed for. The weekly repetitions were over, dinner was done, Mr Carnaby appeared with his hat on, the whole throng burst into the open air, and out of bounds, and the new boys were wild with expectation and delight. When they had passed the churchyard and the green, and were wading through the sandy road which led up to the heath, Firth saw Hugh running and leaping hither and thither, not knowing what to do with his spirits. Firth called him, and putting his arm round Hugh’s neck, so as to keep him prisoner, said he did not know how he might want his strength before he got home, and he had better not spend it on a bit of sandy road. So Hugh was made to walk quietly, and gained his breath before the breezy heath was reached.
On the way, he saw that a boy of the name of Dale, whom he had never particularly observed before, was a good deal teased by some boys who kept crossing their hands before them, and curtseying like girls, talking in a mincing way, and calling one another Amelia, with great affectation. Dale tried to get away, but he was followed, whichever way he turned.
“What do they mean by that?” inquired Hugh of Firth.
“Dale has a sister at a school not far off, and her name is Amelia; and she came to see him to-day. Ah! You have not found out yet that boys are laughed at about their sisters, particularly if the girls have fine names.”
“What a shame!” cried Hugh; words which he had used very often already since he came to Crofton.
He broke from Firth, ran up to Dale, and said to him, in a low voice, “I have two sisters, and one of them is called Agnes.”
“Don’t let them come to see you, then, or these fellows will quiz you as they do me. As if I could help having a sister Amelia!”
“Why, you are not sorry for that? You would not wish your sister dead, or not born, would you?”