, Flip, if you love me," said Power; and they all three
walked under the noble Norman archway that formed the entrance to the
school.

"By the powers," said Henderson to Walter, as the other left them, "you
_have_ got a new friend worth having, Walter. _He_ doesn't make himself
at home with every one, I can tell you; and if he and Dubbs cultivate
you, I should think it's about time for anyone else to be ashamed of
cutting you, my boy."

"I'm quite happy now," said Walter; "with you and Kenrick and him for
friends. I don't care so much for the rest. I wonder why he likes me?"

"Well, because he thinks the fellows a great deal too hard on you for
one thing. How very good and patient you've been, Walter, under it
all."

"It is hard sometimes, Flip, but I deserve it. Only now and then I'm
afraid that you and Ken will get quite tired of me, I've so few to speak
to. Harpour and that lot would be glad enough that I should join them,
I know, and but for you and Ken I should have been driven to do it."

"Never mind, Walter, my boy; the fellows'll come round in time."

So, step by step, with the countenance of some true and worthy friends,
and by the help of a stout and uncorrupted heart, by penitence and by
kindliness, did our brave little Walter win his way. He was helped,
too, greatly, by his achievements in the games. At football he played
with a vigour and earnestness which carried everything before it. He
got several bases, and was the youngest boy in the school who ever
succeeded in doing this. Gradually but surely his temporary
unpopularity gave way; and even before he began to be generally
recognised again, he bade fair _ultimately_ to gain a high position in
the estimation of all his schoolfellows.

There was one scene which he long remembered, and which was very trying
to go through. One fine afternoon the boys' prize for the highest jump
was to be awarded, and as the school were all greatly interested in the
competition, they were assembled in a dense circle in the green
playground, leaving space for the jumpers in the middle. The fine
weather had also tempted nearly all the inhabitants of Saint Winifred's
to be spectators of the contest, and numbers of ladies were present, for
whom the boys had politely left a space within the circle. When the
chief jumping prize had been won by an active fellow in the sixth-form,
another prize was proposed for all boys under fifteen.

Bliss, Franklin, and two o