“I don’t think I should mind that. What sort of teasing, though?”
“Trying whether he was afraid of things.”
“What sort of things?”
“Being on the top of a wall, or up in a tree. And then they sent him errands when he was tired, or when he wanted to be doing something else. They tried too whether he could bear some rough things without telling.”
“And did he?”
“Yes, generally. On the whole, very well. I see they think him a brave boy now.”
“I think I could. But do not you really take boys as young as I am?”
“Such is really my rule.”
It was very provoking, but Hugh was here called away to fish up Jane’s work out of the water-butt. As he had put it in, he was the proper person to get it out. He thought he should have liked the fun of it; but now he was in a great hurry back, to hear Mr Tooke talk. It really seemed as if the shirt-collar was alive, it always slipped away so when he thought he had it. Jane kept him to the job till he brought up her work, dripping and soiled. By that time tea was ready,—an early tea, because Mr Tooke had to go away. Whatever was said at tea was about politics, and about a new black dye which some chemist had discovered; and Mr Tooke went away directly after.
He turned round full upon Hugh, just as he was going. Hugh stepped back, for it flashed upon him that he was now to be asked how much four times seven was. But Mr Tooke only shook hands with him, and bade him grow older as fast as he could.