Hegotquiteangrysometimes，astheysattogetherofanightintheirstudy，atthisprovokinghabitofagreement，andwasonthepointofbreakingoutadozentimeswithalectureupontheproprietyofafellowhavingawillofhisownandspeakingout，butmanagedtorestrainhimselfbythethoughtthathemightonlyfrightenArthur，andtheremembranceofthelessonhehadlearntfromhimonhisfirstnightatNumber4。ThenhewouldresolvetositstillandnotsayawordtillArthurbegan；buthewasalwaysbeatatthatgame，andhadpresentlytobegintalkingindespair，fearinglestArthurmightthinkhewasvexedatsomethingifhedidn’t，anddog-tiredofsittingtongue-tied。
Itwashardwork。ButTomhadtakenitup，andmeanttosticktoit，andgothroughwithitsoastosatisfyhimself；inwhichresolutionhewasmuchassistedbythechafingofEastandhisotheroldfriends，whobegantocallhim“dry-nurse，“andotherwisetobreaktheirsmallwitonhim。Butwhentheytookotherground，astheydideverynowandthen，Tomwassorelypuzzled。
“Tellyouwhat，Tommy，“Eastwouldsay；“you’llspoilyoungHopefulwithtoomuchcoddling。Whycan’tyoulethimgoaboutbyhimselfandfindhisownlevel？He’llneverbeworthabuttonifyougoonkeepinghimunderyourskirts。“
“Well，butheain’tfittofighthisownwayyet；I’mtryingtogethimtoiteveryday，buthe’sveryodd。Poorlittlebeggar！
Ican’tmakehimoutabit。Heain’tabitlikeanythingI’veeverseenorheardof——heseemsallovernerves；anythingyousayseemstohurthimlikeacutorablow。“