d Eden since the first night.

"Poor little Eden--poor little fiddlestick," said Jones, "it does the
young cub good."

"Send him home to his grandmamma, and let him have his bib and his
night-cap," growled Harpour; "is he made of butter, and are you afraid
of his melting, you Evson, that you make such a fuss with him? You want
your lickings yourself, and shall have them if you don't look out."

"I don't care what you do to _me_, Harpour," rejoined Walter, "and I
don't think you'll do very much. But I do tell you that it's a
blackguard shame for a great big fellow like you to torment a little
delicate chap like Eden; and what's more, you shan't do it."

"Shan't! my patience. I like that I why, who is to prevent me?"

"I suppose he'll turn sneak, and peach," said Jones; "he'd do anything
that's mean, we all know."

Walter was always liable to that taunt now. It was a part of his
punishment, and the one which lasted longest. From any other boy he
might have winced under it; but really, coming from Jones, it was too
contemptible to notice.

"You shut up, Jones," he said angrily; "you shan't touch Eden again, I
can tell you, whatever Harpour does, and he'd better look out what he
does."

"Look out yourself," said Harpour, flinging a football boot at Walter's
head.

"You'll find your boot on the grass outside to-morrow morning," said
Walter, opening the window, and dropping it down. He wasn't a bit
afraid, because he always went on the instinctive and never-mistaken
assumption, that a bully must be a coward in his inmost nature. Cruelty
to the weaker is incompatible with the generosity of all true courage.

"By Jove, I'll thrash you for that to-morrow," shouted Harpour.

"_To-morrow_!" said Walter with great contempt.

"Oh, don't make him angry, Walter," whispered Eden; "you know what a
strong fellow he is," (Eden shuddered, as though _he_ had reason to
know); "and you can't fight him; and you mustn't get a thrashing for my
sake. I'm not worth that. I'd rather bear it myself, Walter--indeed I
would."

"Good-night, poor little Eden," said Walter; "you're safe to-night at
any rate. Why, how cold you are! What _have_ they been doing to you?"

"I daren't tell you to-night, Walter; I will to-morrow," he answered in
a low tone, shivering all over.

"Well, then, go to sleep now, my little man; and don't you be afraid of
Harpour or any one else. I won't let them bully you if I can help it."

Eden squee