I'll not let them tease him any more, though;" and at a
sharp word from him the boys ceased their rude fun.

Master Sunshine was quite late for school that morning, and when
he did arrive he was so flushed in the face, and so muddy in his
dress, that Mr. Sinclair the teacher guessed that something was
amiss; and a few quiet questions at recess brought out part of the
story from Tommy, who was but too delighted to sing his friend's
praises.

That afternoon when lessons were over, Mr. Sinclair gathered his
pupils about him. "Boys," he said, "something that happened to-day
makes me afraid that some of you do not know what manliness means;
and, if there is a boy among you who does not wish to grow into a
manly man, I would like him to leave the schoolroom now."

Tommy Dane turned around and looked very hard at Dick, who had
been the chief of Billy's persecutors; but the boy, though looking
very shame-faced, made no effort to move.

"Some of you," continued the master, "have been making Billy
Butler very unhappy. Do you think the boy has too much pleasure in
his life?"

Every boy there made a picture to himself of Billy's life, and
wondered what the master could mean. Billy's home was the worst in
the village, his parents were often unkind to him, his clothes
were always in rags, he had no friends to play with, no one ever
thought of asking him to a party or a picnic or even to play
quietly in the back yard. He had never even had a chum.

The teacher read their thoughts very easily. "Then," said he, "if
he has no pleasures, why do you not try giving him a few instead
of making his life a burden. A manly boy tries to do what good he
can to his fellow-creatures, and it seems that the manliest boy
among you is one of the youngest pupils."

The boys looked at Master Sunshine as he spoke, for they knew that
his words could have but one meaning. Some of them smiled as they
did so; but Dick looked away again quickly, as if there was
something in the sight that he could not bear.

Master Sunshine was sound asleep. His head, all a glitter with its
yellow curls, was cradled on his arm. There were bits of the dried
mud still clinging to the back of his coat. Even the boys who
smiled were deeply touched. They remembered then what a very
little boy he was, and they did not wonder that the excitement of
the morning and the work of the day had quite exhausted him.

There was something like a tear in Dick's hard gray eyes.

"