“Because you are going to be my friend.”
“How do you know?” said Peter; but Walter saw a difference in his tone.
“Because there is no reason why we should not be. I am a boy like yourself, and the only difference between us is that I have a better education.”
“I don’t know very much,” said Peter.
“But you want to know more, don’t you?”
“Ye-es,” said Peter, hesitatingly.
“Of course you do. You want to rise in the world, and you won’t be likely to do it without education. It’s the same way with me.”
“Don’t you know enough?” asked Peter.
“Far from enough. I want to go through college, but I must earn money enough, first. My father failed, or I should still have been studying. Now, Peter, as long as I remain here, I will do all I can to help you on, if you will work yourself.”
Peter was not wholly bad. There was something in him that responded to this magnanimity of the teacher, whom he had striven to annoy.