Hence he not only encouraged Willie in everything he undertook, but, considering the five hours of school quite sufficient for study of that sort, requested the master not to give him any lessons to do at home.

So Willie worked hard during school, and after it had plenty of time to spend in carpentering, so that he soon came to use all the common bench-tools with ease, and Spelman was proud of his apprentice, as he called him--so much so, that the burden of his debt grew much lighter upon his shoulders.
But Willie did not forget his older friend, Hector Macallaster.

Every half-holiday he read to him for a couple of hours, chiefly, for some time, from Dick's Astronomy.

Neither of them understood all he read, but both understood much, and Hector could explain some of the things that puzzled Willie.

And when he found that everything went on in such order, above and below and all about him, he began to see that even a thing well done was worth a good deal more when done at the right moment or within the set time; and that the heavens themselves were like a great clock, ordering the time for everything.
Neither did he give up shoemaking, for he often did a little work for Hector, who had made him a leather apron, and cut him out bits of stout leather to protect his hands from the thread when he was sewing.