The Doctor caught hold of him,
and called to us to fetch some water. 'There, you silly fellow,' said
he, quite pleased, though, to find he wasn't much hurt, 'you see you
don't know the least what you're doing with all these things; and now,
mind, you must give up practising chemistry by yourself.' Then he took
hold of his arm and looked at it, and I saw he had to bite his lip, and
his eyes twinkled; but he said, quite grave, 'Here, you see, you've been
making all these foolish marks on yourself, which you can never get out,
and you'll be very sorry for it in a year or two. Now come down to the
housekeeper's room, and let us see if you are hurt.' And away went
the two, and we all stayed and had a regular turn-out of the den, till
Martin came back with his hand bandaged and turned us out. However, I'll
go and see what he's after, and tell him to come in after prayers to
supper." And away went Tom to find the boy in question, who dwelt in a
little study by himself, in New Row.
The aforesaid Martin, whom Arthur had taken such a fancy for, was one of
those unfortunates who were at that time of day (and are, I fear, still)
quite out of their places at a public school. If we knew how to use
our boys, Martin would have been seized upon and educated as a natural
philosopher. He had a passion for birds, beasts, and insects, and knew
more of them and their habits than any one in Rugby--except perhaps the
Doctor, who knew everything.
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