The little fellow became more cheerful under the influence of Hector’s kind and sympathetic words. Our hero, however, was catechised about his sudden intimacy with the new scholar.
“I see you’ve got a new situation, Roscoe,” said Bates, when Hector was walking away.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve secured the position of nurse to that little cry baby.”
“You mean Tommy Cooper?”
“Yes, if that’s his name.”
“I was cheering up the little fellow a bit. He’s made rather a bad exchange in leaving a happy home for Smith Institute.”
“That’s so. This is a dreary hole, but there’s no need of crying about it.”
“You might if you were as young as Tommy, and had just come.”
“Shall you take him under your wing?”