of the way in which he had been brought up, and of
the poor lad's ignorance and wretchedness, he pitied him and ceased to
wonder, or to be offended at his conduct.

But Isaac resolved, indeed, to "take him in hand," and to "stop him,"
but not in the sense in which his schoolfellow understood those terms.

The boy's name was James, but he was never called anything but Jim.
Indeed, if you were to call him by his true name, he would think you
meant somebody else.

The first opportunity Isaac had of "taking him in hand" was on election
day. On that day as Isaac was on his way home, he saw a group of boys a
little off the road, and heard some shouting and laughing.

Curiosity led him to the spot. He found that the boys were gathered
around Jim, and another boy, a good deal larger than he was. This boy
was making fun of Jim's clothes, which were indeed very ragged and
dirty, and telling how he must act to become as distinguished a man as
his father.

Jim was very angry, but when he attempted to strike his persecutor, he
would take hold of Jim's hands, and he was so much stronger that he
could easily hold them.

Jim then tried kicking, but as he was barefoot, he could not do much
execution in that line; besides, while he was using one foot in this
way, his tormentor would tread upon the other with his heavy boot.

[Illustration: "_Isaac remonstrated with the boys_."]

When Isaac came up and saw what was going on, he remonstrated with the
boys for countenancing such proceedings; and such was his influence, and
the force of truth, that most of them agreed that it was "too bad;"
though he was such an "ugly boy," they said, "that he was hardly worth
pitying."

The principal actor, however, did not like Isaac's interference; but he
soon saw that Isaac was not afraid of him, and that he was too popular
with the boys to be made the object of abuse. As he turned to go away,
Isaac said to Jim:--

"I'll keep my eyes upon you, and when you go home, I'll go with you. It
is on my way; they shan't hurt you; so don't cry any more. Come Jim, go
home with me; I'm going now," continued Isaac.

Jim did not look up or make any answer. He did not know what to make of
Isaac's behavior toward him. It could not be because he was afraid of
him, and wished to gain his good will, for Isaac was not afraid of one
much stronger than he. He had never heard of the command, "Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate