not say so."

"I do not think it just of you to take my knife in that way," said
Reginald, thoroughly aroused; "and if you do not return it at once, I
shall speak to Dr. Field about it."

"Oh!" said Thompson, coolly; "you're a sneak, are you?"

[Illustration: INDUSTRIOUS REGINALD.]

The boys, who had been gathering round Reginald, admiring his spirit
in confronting the tall boy, now drew back, and the words "tell-tale!"
"blab!" "sneak!" were distinctly heard. And Reginald found himself
standing alone, deserted by those who had drawn near in sympathy with
him, for Thompson was the tyrant of the school.

Presently, when the boys had returned to their places by the fire, and
Reginald was apparently forgotten, a merry-looking boy a year older
than himself sat down by him.

"No," said he; "you must not say anything to Dr. Field. You must let
your knife go, and learn wisdom for the future."

Reginald looked up.

"It's mean and unfair," he said.

"That may be, but the boys would say it was meaner still to complain.
One has to put up with things of this sort at school, and make the
best of them."

"What's your name?" asked Reginald, suddenly, for there was something
about the boy that he liked, and he thought this might be the one who
was to be his friend.

"Barton. And yours?"

"Reginald Murray."

"Murray's enough, without the other."

"I should like you to be my friend."

Barton glanced at the large dark eyes that were fixed upon him, and at
the delicate and somewhat mournful face, and felt attracted also.

"I think I shall like you," he returned; "but I must wait and see how
you go on. I think you've the right spirit; but you must take my
advice about the knife. Will you?"

There was a struggle in Reginald's mind. It was very hard to give up
the knife that Alice had saved up her pocket-money to buy for him.
Still, Barton had been at school for some time, and knew better than
he what ought to be done, so he answered, "I will."

But Barton was not prepared for his manner of carrying out the
decision. To his great surprise, Reginald marched straight up to
Thompson. "I shall not," he said, "speak to Dr. Field about the knife.
It's unfair and unjust of you to take it, and I sha'n't be friends
with you as long as you keep it. But Barton says it would be telling
tales if I made a complaint."

Some of the younger boys stood quite aghast at Reginald's boldness;
one or two even murmured, "Well done!"

Thomp