For once she looked ashamed of herself,
and the neighbours, feeling guilty themselves, slipped away. They knew
the doctor was right, and that most of the accidents he had to attend,
and the poverty that caused him to work for nothing, were alike due to
the drink.
And life was certainly a little easier for Dick in the next few days.
His bandaged hands made house-work impossible, and so he was allowed to
go to school in peace.
And the knowledge that Susy owed her life to him, made even the
ill-tempered father a shade less surly.
He could not write or do sums, but the teacher saw that his time was
well filled. Dick was a favourite of his because his work was so
faithfully done, in spite of drawbacks.
Home lessons had small chance in Mrs. Fowley's presence, and the
frequent excuses for keeping him at home had sadly interfered with his
getting on, but in school no boy was happier than he.
In the playground there might be taunts about his shabby clothes, and
rough usage from the Fowley boys, that were hard to bear patiently.
And he did not always succeed in keeping his temper down.
But when, once or twice, he had struck a blow for freedom, garbled
tales were carried home and he had to suffer tenfold afterwards for his
daring.
But the thought of Lionheart and his long waiting made him brave to
suffer and endure.
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