Dart seems to have thoroughly enjoyed Dot’s letter about her time with Andy up in the tree. He recognizes how attached people can get to the schools they attend, especially a place like Andrews, which is more like a home than a school. Sometimes when he responds to the experiences Dot writes about, he sounds a bit like the wise old man. That’s an impression that I sensed quite often from him as I was growing up – an impression that continued until he actually was a wise old man.

He refers again to some “mythical irons in a mythical fire” that he’s been working on. Other than conveying a sense of deep mistrust that his efforts will amount to anything, he gives no details of his mysterious plans.

He begs her not to ruin her eyesight by writing to him after lights out. He inquires whether she has retrieved her glasses from the friend’s house where she left them. He encloses an outline for her philosophy assignment with instructions to make it her own. And, finally, he tells her he loves her with all his heart and spirit and hopes nothing will ever change their love or come between them.