There were no doubt physical causes for those defects; but Addison and I thought he might do better if he pleased.

He and Addison were about the same age, and I was two and a half years younger.
Halstead, in fact, was slightly taller than Addison, but not so strong.
His complexion was darker and not so clear; and I imagine that he was not so healthy.

Once, I remember, when Dr.Green from the village was at the house, he cast a professional eye on us three boys and remarked, "That dark boy's blood isn't so good as that of the other two," a remark that Halstead appears to have overheard.
None the less, he was strong enough to work when he chose, though he complained constantly and shirked when he could.
On the Friday morning referred to, it had come Halstead's turn "to stand up with old Mehitable," as Ellen used to say; and after the usual heated argument he had set about it out in the kitchen in a particularly wrathy mood.

It was snowing outside.

The old Squire had driven to the village; and, after doing the barn chores, Addison had retired to the sitting-room to cipher out two or three hard sums in complex fractions while I had seized the opportunity to read a book of Indian stories that Tom Edwards had lent me.