and purpose which this
day had cemented between them for the rest of their school-life.

"But you seem to aim higher than I do, Power," said Walter; "I certainly
found lots of wickedness going on here, but I never hoped to change
that. All I hoped to do was to save one or two fellows from being
cruelly bullied and spoiled. We can't alter the wrong tone which nearly
all the fellows have on some matters."

"Yet," said Power, "there was once a man, a single man, in a great
corrupted host, who stood between the living and the dead, and the
plague was stayed."

"Then rose up Phinees and prayed, and so the plague ceased," whispered
Walter to himself.

All farther conversation was broken by Kenrick, who at this moment awoke
with a great yawn, and looking at his watch, declared that they ought to
have been in bed long ago.

"Good-night, Ken; I hope we shall sleep as sound as you," said Power.

"Walter here will dream of skeletons and moonlit precipices, I bet,"
said Kenrick.

"Not I, Ken; I'm far too tired. Good-night, both."

Sleepy as they were, _two_ of those boys did not fall asleep that night
till they had poured out with all the passion of full hearts, words of
earnest supplication for the future, of trembling gratitude for the
past. Two of them--for Kenrick, with all the fine points of his
character, was entirely destitute of any sense of religion, and had in
many points the standard of a schoolboy rather than that of a Christian.

When Walter reached his room, the rest were asleep, but not Eden. He
sat up in his bed directly Walter entered, and his eyes were sparkling
with animation and pleasure.

"O Walter," he said, "I couldn't go to sleep for joy; Every one's
praising you to the skies. I am so proud of you, and it is so very good
of you to be friends with me."

"Tush, Arty," said Walter smiling; "one would think I'd done something
great to hear you talk, whereas really it was nothing out of the way. I
meant to have taken you with us, but I thought it would be too far for
you."

"Taken me with you, and Kenrick, and Power!" said Eden, opening his
large eyes; "how kind of you, Walter! but only fancy Power or Kenrick
walking with me!"

"Why not, Arty? Power's going to ask you to-morrow to sit in his study,
and learn your lessons there whenever you like."

"Power ask _me_!"

"You! Why not?"

"Why, he's _such_ a swell."

"Well, then, you must try and be a swell too."

"No, no, Walter; I'm