without tears and without passion, and this diminished the pleasure of
annoying him. One day when Barker had given him an unprovoked kick, he
quietly said,

"Barker, next time you do that, I'll tell Mr. Gordon."

"Sneak! do it if you dare." And he kicked him again; but the moment
after he was sorry for it, for there was a dark look in Owen's eyes, as
he turned instantly into the door of the master's room, and laid a
formal complaint against Barker for bullying.

Mr. Gordon didn't like "telling," and he said so to Owen, without
reserve. An ordinary boy would have broken into a flood of explanations
and palliations, but Owen simply bowed, and said nothing. "He stood
there for justice," and he had counted the cost. Strong-minded and
clear-headed, he calculated correctly that the momentary dislike of his
schoolfellows, with whom he well knew that he never could be popular,
would be less unbearable than Barker's villanous insults. The
consequence was that Barker was caned soundly, although, with some
injustice, Mr. Gordon made no attempt to conceal that he did it
unwillingly.

Of course the fellows were very indignant with Owen for sneaking, as
they called it, and for a week or two he had the keen mortification of
seeing "Owen is a sneak," written up all about the walls. But he was
too proud or too cold to make any defence till called upon, and bore it
in silence. Barker vowed eternal vengeance, and the very day after, had
seized Owen with the avowed intention of "half murdering him." But
before he could once strike him, Owen said in the most chill tone,
"Barker, if you touch me, I shall go straight to Dr. Rowlands." The
bully well knew that Owen never broke his word, but he could not govern
his rage, and first giving Owen a violent shake, he proceeded to thrash
him without limit or remorse.

Pale, but unmoved, Owen got away, and walked straight to Dr. Rowlands'
door. The thing was unheard of, and the boys were amazed at his
temerity, for the doctor was to all their imaginations a regular _Deus
ex machina._ That afternoon, again Barker was publicly caned, with the
threat that the next offence would be followed by instant and public
expulsion. This punishment he particularly dreaded, because he was
intended for the army, and he well knew that it might ruin his
prospects. The consequence was, that Owen never suffered from him again,
although he daily received a shower of oaths and curses, which he passed
over with silen