"
"Very silly of him," said the Captain, "to take in despair what was
only meant to spur him on. I suppose now I shall find he has dawdled
so much that he couldn't get through an examination."
This shut up the mouths of both the girls, who were afraid that he
might not, since they saw a good deal of his droning habits over his
lessons, and heard more of Hal's superior cleverness.
Miss Fosbrook ventured to say, "You may expect a great deal of a boy
who works on a pure principle of obedience."
"You think a great deal of that youngster," said the Captain, highly
gratified. "It is the first time I ever knew a stranger take to
him."
"I did not take to him as a stranger. I thought him uncouth and
dull. I only learnt to love and respect him, as I felt how perfectly
I might rely on him, and how deep and true his principles are. If
the children have gone on tolerably well in your absence, it is
because he has always stood by me, and his weight of character has
told on them."
Captain Merrifield did not answer at once; he bit his lip, then blew
his nose, and cleared his throat, before he said, "Miss Fosbrook, you
have made me very happy; it will make his mother so.
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