He found his mother sick, and his little brother, Egbert, utterly insubordinate and unmanageable.
"The first thing I have to do," said George to himself, when he observed how things were, "is to get command of Egbert;" and as the first lesson which he gave his little brother illustrates well the principle of gentle but efficient punishment, I will give it here.
Egbert was ten years of age.

He was very fond of going a-fishing, but he was not allowed to go alone.

His mother, very weak and vacillating about some things, was extremely decided about this.

So Egbert had learned to submit to this restriction, as he would have done to all others if his mother had been equally decided in respect to all.
The first thing that Egbert thought of the next morning after his brother's return was that George might go a-fishing with him.
"I don't know," replied George, in a hesitating and doubtful tone.

"I don't know whether it will do for me to go a-fishing with you.