ic sympathy; the first glance of each at the
other's face prepared the friendship, and every day of acquaintance more
firmly cemented it. Eric could not have had a better friend; not so
clever as himself not so diligent as Owen, not so athletic as Duncan, or
so fascinating as Montagu, Russell combined the best qualities of them
all. And, above all, he acted invariably from the highest principle; he
presented that noblest of all noble spectacles--one so rare that many
think it impossible--the spectacle of an honourable, pure-hearted, happy
boy, who, as his early years speed by, is ever growing in wisdom and
stature, and favour with God and man.

"Did that brute Barker ever bully you as he bullies me?" said Eric one
day, as he walked on the sea-shore with his friend.

"Yes," said Russell. "I slept in his dormitory when I first came, and
he has often made me so wretched that I have flung myself on my knees at
night in pretence of prayer, but really to get a little quiet time to
cry like a child."

"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," 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's garden-wall.
"There, go and fetch that."

"You blackguard," said Eric, standing irresolu