It was even pleasanter to be here than in the hospital.
But Tony found it hard work to go back to his crossing in the morning;
and he could not make out what was the matter with himself, he felt so
cross and idle. His old clothes seemed really such horrid rags that he
could scarcely bear to feel them about him; and if any passer-by looked
closely at him, he went red and hot all over. He was not so successful
as he thought he had been before his accident, or as he thought he ought
to be; for the roads were getting cleaner with the drier weather, and few
persons considered it necessary to give him a copper for his almost
needless labour. Worst of all,--Clever Dog Tom found him out, and would
come often to see him; sometimes jeering him for his poor spirit in being
content with such low work, and sometimes boasting of the fine things he
could do, and displaying the fine clothes he could wear. It was truly
very hard work for Tony, after his long holiday at the hospital, where he
had had as much luxury and attention as a rich man's son.
But at home in the evening Tony felt all right again. Old Oliver set him
to learn to read and write, and he was making rapid progress, more rapid
than Dolly, who began at the same time, but who was apt to look upon it
all as only another kind of game, of which she grew more quickly tired
than of hide-and-seek.
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