hild."

"And when was it he left off at last?"

"Why, you know, Upton in the fifth is my cousin, and very fond of me; he
heard of it, though I didn't say anything about it, and told Barker that
if ever he caught him at it, he would thrash him within an inch of his
life; and that frightened him for one thing. Besides, Duncan, Montagu,
and other friends of mine began to cut him in consequence, so he thought
it best to leave off."

"How is it, Russell, that fellows stand by and let him do it?"

"You see, Williams," said Russell, "Barker is an enormously strong
fellow, and that makes the younger chaps, whom he fags, look up to him
as a great hero. And there isn't one in our part of the school who can
thrash him. Besides, people never do interfere, you know--at least not
often. I remember once seeing a street-row in London, at which twenty
people stood by, and let a drunken beast of a husband strike his wife
without ever stirring to defend her."

"Well," sighed Eric, "I hope my day of deliverance will come soon, for
I can't stand it much longer, and 'tell' I won't, whatever Owen may do."

Eric's deliverance came very soon. It was afternoon; the boys were
playing at different games in the green playground, and he was waiting
for his turn at rounders. At this moment Barker lounged up, and calmly
snatching off Eric's cap, shied it over Dr. Rowlands' garden wall.
"There, go and fetch that."

"You blackguard!" said Eric, standing irresolutely for a few minutes;
and then with tears in his eyes began to climb the wall. It was not very
high, but boys were peremptorily forbidden to get over it under any
circumstances, and Eric broke the rule not without trepidation. However,
he dropped down on one of Mrs. Rowlands' flower-beds, and got his cap in
a hurry, and clambered back undiscovered.

He thought this would have satisfied his tormentor for one day; but
Barker was in a mischievous mood, so he again came up to Eric, and
calling out, "Who'll have a game at football?" again snatched the cap,
and gave it a kick; Eric tried to recover it, but every time he came up
Barker gave it a fresh kick, and finally kicked it into a puddle.

Eric stood still, trembling with rage, while his eyes lightened scorn
and indignation. "You hulking, stupid, cowardly bully,"--here Barker
seized him, and every word brought a tremendous blow on the head, but
blind with passion Eric went on--"you despicable bully, I won't touch
that cap again, you sha