Astheboysturnedtoleavetheroom，thematrontouchedTom’sarm，andsaid，“MasterBrown，pleasestopaminute；Iwanttospeaktoyou。“
“Verywell，Mary。I’llcomeinaminute，East。Don’tfinishthepickles。“
“OMasterBrown，“wentonthelittlematron，whentheresthadgone，“you’retohaveGray’sstudy，Mrs。Arnoldsays。Andshewantsyoutotakeinthisyounggentleman。He’sanewboy，andthirteenyearsoldthoughhedon’tlookit。He’sverydelicate，andhasneverbeenfromhomebefore。AndItoldMrs。ArnoldI
thoughtyou’dbekindtohim，andseethattheydon’tbullyhimatfirst。He’sputintoyourform，andI’vegivenhimthebednexttoyoursinNumber4；soEastcan’tsleeptherethishalf。“
Tomwasratherputaboutbythisspeech。Hehadgotthedoublestudywhichhecoveted，butherewereconditionsattachedwhichgreatlymoderatedhisjoy。Helookedacrosstheroom，andinthefarcornerofthesofawasawareofaslight，paleboy，withlargeblueeyesandlightfairhair，whoseemedreadytoshrinkthroughthefloor。Hesawataglancethatthelittlestrangerwasjusttheboywhosefirsthalf-yearatapublicschoolwouldbemiserytohimselfifhewereleftalone，orconstantanxietytoanyonewhomeanttoseehimthroughhistroubles。Tomwastoohonesttotakeintheyoungster，andthenlethimshiftforhimself；andifhetookhimashischuminsteadofEast，wherewereallhispetplansofhavingabottled-beercellarunderhiswindow，andmakingnight-linesandslings，andplottingexpeditionstoBrownsoverMillsandCaldecott’sSpinney？Eastandhehadmadeuptheirmindstogetthisstudy，andtheneverynightfromlocking-uptilltentheywouldbetogethertotalkaboutfishing，drinkbottled-beer，readMarryat’snovels，andsortbirds’eggs。Andthisnewboywouldmostlikelynevergooutoftheclose，andwouldbeafraidofwetfeet，andalwaysgettinglaughedat，andcalledMolly，orJenny，orsomederogatoryfemininenickname。