In holiday time he went to work--his holidays, in fact, were so arranged as to fall at the time when the lad could be of most use in the field.

If an occasion arose when a lad was wanted, his lessons had to wait while he lent a hand.

He had his play, of course, as boys in all ages have had; but it was play of a rude character with the plough lads, and the almost equally rough sons of farmers, who worked like ploughmen.
In those days the strong made no pretence to protect the weak, or to abnegate their natural power.

The biggest lad used his thews and sinews to knock over the lesser without mercy, till the lesser by degrees grew strong enough to retaliate.

To be thrashed, beaten, and kicked was so universal an experience that no one ever imagined it was not correct, or thought of complaining.