She was afraid of fever, and sought advice from Mrs.Haddon, who unhesitatingly recommended camomile tea.
Then Dick's ailment was discussed and Chris, much concerned, went and sat by the boy, who cowered over his book, too full to answer her kind inquiries.

She put an arm about him and talked with tender solicitude; she sympathised with him in his troubles, and was angry with all his enemies, more especially the police, whose folly amazed her.

Here a large tear rolled down Dick's nose and splashed upon the open page, and when she pressed him to tell all he might know and not to suffer abuse and shame to shield some wicked villain, he quite collapsed, and sat with his head sunk upon his arms, sobbing hysterically.

This was so unlike the boy that Christina was quite amazed, and her eyes travelled anxiously to and from Dick's bowed head and his mother's distressed face.

Then the women, to give him time to recover himself, sat together talking of other matters--Harry Hardy mainly--and Dick, ashamed of his tears, crept away to bury his effeminate sobs amongst the Cape broom in the garden.
Dick had not sat alone more than a minute when he heard a sharp whistle from the back.