Drop him a hint, and that's enough.

You talk of figures, now; you have only to say to Stelling, 'I want my son to be a thorough arithmetician,' and you may leave the rest to him." Mr.Riley paused a moment, while Mr.Tulliver, some-what reassured as to clerical tutorship, was inwardly rehearsing to an imaginary Mr.
Stelling the statement, "I want my son to know 'rethmetic." "You see, my dear Tulliver," Mr.Riley continued, "when you get a thoroughly educated man, like Stelling, he's at no loss to take up any branch of instruction.

When a workman knows the use of his tools, he can make a door as well as a window." "Ay, that's true," said Mr.Tulliver, almost convinced now that the clergy must be the best of schoolmasters.
"Well, I'll tell you what I'll do for you," said Mr.Riley, "and I wouldn't do it for everybody.

I'll see Stelling's father-in-law, or drop him a line when I get back to Mudport, to say that you wish to place your boy with his son-in-law, and I dare say Stelling will write to you, and send you his terms." "But there's no hurry, is there ?" said Mrs.Tulliver; "for I hope, Mr.
Tulliver, you won't let Tom begin at his new school before Midsummer.
He began at the 'cademy at the Lady-day quarter, and you see what good's come of it." "Ay, ay, Bessy, never brew wi' bad malt upo' Michael-masday, else you'll have a poor tap," said Mr.Tulliver, winking and smiling at Mr.
Riley, with the natural pride of a man who has a buxom wife conspicuously his inferior in intellect.

"But it's true there's no hurry; you've hit it there, Bessy." "It might be as well not to defer the arrangement too long," said Mr.
Riley, quietly, "for Stelling may have propositions from other parties, and I know he would not take more than two or three boarders, if so many.