ment Charlie received a blow full on the
chest, which sent him staggering back against the wall.

Oh, how he wished that moment he had never owned me!

Tom came upon him with an angry oath, and seized him by the throat.

"Will you give it up?"

"No," replied Charlie.

He was fairly roused now; no boy--certainly no boy of his sort--can
stand quietly by and receive undeserved blows. Tom tightened his grip
on the boy's throat, and strove to snatch me from his pocket.

Quick as thought Charlie threw his arms round him, and, though the
smaller boy of the two, extricated himself from the clutch of the bully,
and sent him in turn staggering back. Livid with rage, Tom rushed at
him; but Charlie eluded him, and left him to overbalance himself and
fall sprawling on the paved floor. At this instant the doctor's door
opened, and the head master stood gazing on the scene.

Poor Charlie! five minutes ago so full of bright hopes and brave
resolutions, and now, under the eyes of the very man who had inspired in
him those hopes and resolutions, engaged in a common fight with a
schoolfellow!

"What is all this?" asked the doctor sternly. "Come in here, you two."

Charlie, with sinking heart, entered again that solemn room, and Drift
followed, sulky, and with a black bruise on his forehead.

Charlie left his antagonist to tell his story after his own fashion, and
was too dispirited either to contradict him or seek to justify himself.
He felt ashamed of himself, and in his self-humiliation saw neither
defence nor extenuation for his conduct.

Drift was dismissed with a few sharp words of reproof and warning.
Charlie remained longer.

What the doctor said to him, and what he said to the doctor, I need not
here repeat. Suffice it to say, the former was able to form a fairer
estimate of my master's conduct than he himself was. He did not blame
him; he even told him that no boy could expect to get through his school
days without some blows, and advised him to see they were always on the
right side. He talked to him long and seriously about home, and so
comforted him in prospect of future difficulties and temptations, that
when he left that study the second time, it was as a wiser, though
perhaps a sadder boy than before.

CHAPTER SIX.

HOW MY MASTER HAD BOTH HIS FRIENDS AND HIS ENEMIES AT RANDLEBURY.

The events of Charlie's first day at Randlebury had at least taught him
one salutary lesson, and that was, to moder