When they were gone, Tommy came up to Harry in the most affectionate manner, and asked him how he did. "A little sore," said Harry; "but that does not signify." _Tommy._--I wish I had had a pistol or a sword! _Harry._--Why, what would you have done with it? _T._--I would have killed that good-for-nothing man who treated you so cruelly. _H._--That would have been wrong, Tommy; for I am sure he did not want to kill me. Indeed, if I had been a man, he should not have used me so; but it is all over now, and we ought to forgive our enemies, as Mr Barlow tells us Christ did; and then perhaps they may come to love us, and be sorry for what they have done. _T._--But how could you bear to be so severely whipped, without crying out? _H._--Why, crying out would have done me no good at all, would it? and this is nothing to what many little boys have suffered without ever flinching, or bemoaning themselves. _T._--Well, I should have thought a great deal. _H._--Oh! it's nothing to what the young Spartans used to suffer. _T._--Who were they? _H._--Why, you must know they were a very brave set of people, that lived a great while ago; and, as they were but few in number, and were surrounded by a great many enemies, they used to endeavour to make their little boys very brave and hardy; and these little boys used to be always running about, half-naked, in the open air, and wrestling and jumping and exercising themselves; and then had very coarse food, and hard beds to lie upon, and were never pampered and indulged; and all this made them so strong and hardy, and brave, that the like was never seen. _T._--What, and had they no coaches to ride in, nor sweetmeats, nor wine, nor anybody to wait upon them? _H._--Oh! dear, no; their fathers thought that would spoil them, and so they all fared alike, and ate together in great rooms; and there they were taught to behave orderly and decently; and when dinner was over, they all went to play together; and, if they committed any faults, they were severely whipped; but they never minded it, and scorned to cry out, or make a wry face.
As they were conversing in this manner, they approached the village, where Tommy laid out all his money, amounting to fifteen shillings and sixpence, in buying some clothes for the little ragged boy and his brothers, which were made up in a bundle and given to him; but he desired Harry to carry them for him. "That I will," said Harry; "but why don't you choose to carry them yourself?" _Tommy._--Why, it is not fit for a gentleman to carry things himself. _Harry._--Why, what hurt does it do him, if he is but strong enough? _T._--I do not know; but I believe it is that he may not look like the common people. _H._--Then he should not have hands, or feet, or ears, or mouth, because the common people have the same. _T._--No, no; he must have all these, because they are useful. _H._--And is it not useful to be able to do things for ourselves? _T._--Yes; but gentlemen have others to do what they want for them. _H._--Then I should think it must be a bad thing to be a gentleman. _T._--Why so? _H._--Because, if all were gentlemen, nobody would do anything, and then we should be all starved. _T._--Starved! _H._--Yes; why, you could not live, could you, without bread? _T._--No; I know that very well. _H._--And bread is made of a plant that grows in the earth, and it is called wheat. _T._--Why, then, I would gather it and eat it. _H._--Then you must do something for yourself; but that would not do, for wheat is a small hard grain, like the oats which you have sometimes given to Mr Barlow's horse; and you would not like to eat them. _T._--No, certainly; but how comes bread then? _H._--Why, they send the corn to the mill. _T._--What is a mill? _H._--What! did you never see a mill? _T._--No, never; but I should like to see one, that I may know how they make bread. _H._--There is one at a little distance; and if you ask Mr Barlow, he will go with you, for he knows the miller very well. _T._--That I will, for I should like to see them make bread.