ding round, and Barker in vain struggled to escape. Mr Williams
held him firmly, and said in a calm voice, "I have just seen you treat
one of your school-fellows with the grossest violence. It makes me
blush for you, Roslyn boys," he continued, turning to the group that
surrounded him, "that you can even for a moment stand by unmoved, and
see such things done. You know that you despise any one who tells a
master, yet you allow this bullying to go on, and that, too, without any
provocation. Now, mark; it makes no difference that the boy who has
been hurt is my own son; I would have punished this scoundrel whoever it
had been, and I shall punish him now." With these words, he lifted the
riding-whip which he happened to be carrying, and gave Barker by far the
severest castigation he had ever undergone; the boys declared that Mr
Rowlands's "swishings" were nothing to it. Mr Williams saw that the
offender was a tough subject, and determined that he should not soon
forget the punishment he then received. He had never heard from Eric
how this boy had been treating him, but he had heard it from Russell,
and now he had seen one of the worst specimens of it with his own eyes.

He therefore belaboured him till his sullen obstinacy gave way to a roar
for mercy, and promises never so to offend again.

At this crisis he flung the boy from him with a "phew" of disgust, and
said, "I give nothing for your word; but if ever you do bully in this
way again, and I see or hear of it, your present punishment shall be a
trifle to what I shall then administer. At present, thank me for not
informing your master." So saying, he made Barker pick up the cap, and,
turning away, walked home with Eric leaning on his arm.

Barker, too, carried himself off with the best grace he could; but it
certainly didn't mend matters when he heard numbers of fellows, even
little boys, say openly, "I'm so glad; serves you right."

From that day Eric was never troubled with personal violence from Barker
or any other boy. But rancour smouldered deep in the mind of the
baffled tyrant, and, as we shall see hereafter, there are subtler means
of making an enemy wretched than striking or kicking him.

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER FOUR.

CRIBBING.

Et nos ergo manum ferulae subduximus.--Juvenal i. 15.

It must not be thought that Eric's year as a home-boarder was made up of
dark experiences. Roslyn had a very bright as well as a dark side and
Eric enjoyed it