A Love Scene
- Tom is terribly worried that he will be lame, or have a limp, for the rest of his life.
- Mr. Stelling doesn’t think to reassure Tom, but luckily Philip asks about it and goes to tell Tom the good news: he won’t have a permanent injury.
- Tom and Philip reconcile and Philip hangs out with Tom and Maggie, telling them fun stories and Greek myths.
- A few days later Maggie and Philip are alone in the school room.
- Philip asks Maggie if she could love a brother like him and Maggie says yes, but that she’d love Tom best still. But she’d feel sorry for a deformed brother.
- This makes Philip uncomfortable and Maggie quickly assures Philip that she thinks he’s very smart and likes him a lot.
- Maggie also assures Philip she won’t forget him when she goes away and Philip says he’ll always remember her. He wishes he had a sister like her.
- Philip tells Maggie that he likes her eyes and Maggie is surprised to note that Philip seems to like her better than Tom.
- Maggie gives Philip a kiss on the cheek.
- When Mr. Tulliver comes to fetch Maggie, she praises Philip to him. Mr. Tulliver tells Tom not to get overly friendly with Philip, since he is a Wakem.
- Once Tom gets better, the two boys grow apart again due to their differing personalities.