take his cap, Barker seized it, and
flung it with a whoop to the end of the passage, where it was trampled
on by a number of the boys as they ran out.

Eric, gulping down his fury with a great effort, turned to his opponent,
and said coolly, "Is that what you always do to new fellows?"

"Yes, you bumptious young owl, it is, and that too;" and a tolerably
smart slap on the face followed--leaving a red mark on a cheek already
aflame with anger and indignation,--"should you like a little more?"

He was hurt and offended, but was too proud to cry. "What's that for?"
he said, with flashing eyes.

"For your conceit in laughing at me when I was caned."

Eric stamped. "I did nothing of the kind, and you know it as well as I
do."

"What? I'm a liar, am I? Oh, we shall take this kind of thing out of
you, you young cub; take that;" and a heavier blow followed.

"You brutal cowardly bully," shouted Eric; and in another moment he
would have sprung upon him. It was lucky for him that he did not, for
Barker was three years older than he, and very powerful. Such an attack
would have been most unfortunate for him in every way. But at this
instant some boys hearing the quarrel ran up, and Russell among them.

"Hallo, Barker," said one; "what's up?"

"Why, I'm teaching this new fry to be less bumptious, that's all."

"Shame!" said Russell, as he saw the mark on Eric's cheek; "what a
fellow you are, Barker. Why couldn't you let him alone for the first
day at any rate?"

"What's that to you? I'll kick you too if you say much."

"Cave! cave!" whispered half a dozen voices, and instantly the knot of
boys dispersed in every direction, as Mr Gordon was seen approaching.
He had caught a glimpse of the scene without understanding it, and
seeing the new boy's red and angry face, he only said, as he passed by,
"What, Williams! fighting already? Take care."

This was the cruellest cut of all. "So," thought Eric, "a nice
beginning! it seems both boys and masters are against me," and very
disconsolately he walked to pick up his cap.

The boys were all dispersed on the playground at different games, and as
he went home he was stopped perpetually, and had to answer the usual
questions, "What's your name? Are you a boarder or a day scholar? What
form are you in?" Eric expected all this, and it therefore did not
annoy him. Under any other circumstances, he would have answered
cheerfully and frankly enough; but now he felt m