HIS BOYHOOD. 
II 
years, until, indeed, he had reached the age of four- 
teen. His teacher speaks of him “as a bright and 
lovable lad.” Mr. Hodder strengthened the attach- 
ment between himself and his boys by encouraging 
athletic exercises, thus wisely recognising Nature’s 
demands for healthy recreation. Often the teacher 
and his class would meet in the Addington Square 
baths or on the cricket field. “While I had my 
class at Camberwell,” says Mr. Hodder, “ I taught 
most of the boys to swim. Tom, who was a very 
nervous boy, was, however, the first to swim across the 
baths. In my last conversation with him he men- 
tioned this to me, and said how valuable this know- 
ledge had been to him when upon the Congo.” 
About this time, when eleven years old, Tom 
competed with his fellow-scholars for a prize offered 
for the best composed essay, in which competition he 
proved successful, the awarder of the prize, Mr. Edwin 
Hodder, expressing his opinion that the writer gave 
evidence of becoming one day either a teacher or 
preacher The feelings of cordiality which sprang up 
between teacher and scholar remained in after years. 
On his first return from Africa Mr. Comber wrote 
thus : — 
“ My dear Mr. Hodder, — I have intended com- 
ing round to see you to-night, but heard you were at 
Birmingham, where I have also been all day to-day. 
Knowing you were in the neighbourhood, I should 
have come long before this to call upon my old 
teacher; but I have been so pressed with meetings 
and other work. ... I have been glad to hear you 
are well. It is so very long since I have seen you ; 
and I look forward so much to once more seeing 
such an old friend. — In happy remembrance of 
Crawford Street, I remain, your afectionate old class- 
boy, Tom Comber.” 
Amongst his wedding gifts was a souvenir from 
