The attention of the parents having been called to their sons; a plan was settled about their future education before the day was over. Up to this time Leon had received instruction in arithmetic, reading, writing, and the Bible from Deborah who, although certainly no scholar, at any rate knew more than her son did about those subjects. The Episcopal parson in Highboro had been giving Bonard instruction in Latin and mathematics twice a week, and Bonard was supposed to pass on this instruction to Rooster: teaching himself by teaching Rooster. But the arrangement was unsatisfactory, and just the week before Benjamin, on a business trip to Savannah, had engaged a tutor to come out in late August to live at Oaks and instruct both his sons in Latin, algebra, English grammar and composition, and ancient history. It was arranged on the spot that Leon should join the Davis brothers in their home schooling, and that Arnold should pay half of the tutor’s fee.

The tutor, a Mr. Jeremy Bartram, arrived at Oaks in early September, the year 1814. Coming as he did directly from Savannah, he missed the civilized amenities of that city and gave himself certain patronizing airs until he was driven by loneliness to seek civil comfort of the country folk he lived among, and thereafter made it his serious concern to impart some knowledge to those whose ignorance had brought him there. In addition to a trunk packed mainly with books and maps from which he was to teach, he brought a flute. Now and then he took it out and sounded notes on it, but he never was able to teach himself to play it, and finally forgot all about it and his romantic notion of composing melodies in the Arcadian scene.

Each weekday morning Plumboy saddled a horse for Leon to ride alone to Oaks for his daily lessons. On Tuesday of the second week Leon refused to go unless Floyd were allowed to accompany him. Deborah spanked Leon and had Ezra set him on the horse. As long as she stood and watched, he let himself be carried down the drive to the main road that would take him to Oaks, but as soon as she went back into the house and about her morning work, he returned. He did not dismount but sat on the horse in the shade of a tree, in the branches of which Floyd sat swinging his legs and staring down at his friend. Arnold found them when he returned from the fields for his noon meal. He ordered the boy down from the horse after ascertaining that he had not come home sick. When he tried to reason with him, Leon clenched his jaw and would not answer.