ar one) knew what was being done. As quick as thought he seized
the string with his right-hand and, by pulling it _towards_ Eden,
slackened the horrible tension of it, while with his left-hand he
rapidly took out a knife from his coat pocket and cut the cord in two.

Jones and Harpour, tittering at the success of their machination, were
standing with the string in their hands just outside the door in the
passage, and the sudden jerk showed them that the string was severed.

"I'll tell you what it is," said Henderson to them, with the most
deliberate emphasis, "I don't care if you do lick me for telling you the
truth, but you two are just a couple of the greatest brutes in the
school."

"What's the matter, Flip?" asked Franklin, from his bed, in a drowsy
tone.

"Matter! why those two _brutes_," said Henderson, with strong
indignation, "have been taking poor little Eden prisoner, and hurting
him awfully."

"What a confounded shame!" said Franklin and Anthony in one voice; for
they, too, though they were sturdy fellows, had had some experience of
the bullies in their earlier school days; and of late, following
Walter's example, they had always energetically opposed this
maltreatment of Eden.

"Draw it mild, you three, or we'll kick you," said Harpour.

"But we won't draw it mild," said Franklin; "it's quite true; you and
Jones _are_ brutes to bully that poor little fellow so. He never hurt
you."

"What an uppish lot you nips are," said Harpour; "it's all that fellow
Evson's doing. Hang me, if I don't take it out of you;" and he advanced
with a slipper in his hand towards Franklin.

"Touch him if you dare," said Henderson; "if you do Anthony and I will
stick by him; and, Cradock, you'll see fair play, won't you?"

"Pooh," said Cradock. "I'm asleep. Fight it out by yourselves."

"Never mind these little fools, Harpour," said Jones; "they're beneath
your notice. Besides, it's time to turn off to sleep." For Jones had
earned his soubriquet by always showing a particularly large white
feather when there was any chance of a fray.

"Phew, Jones; none of us would give much for _you_," said Henderson
contemptuously. "_Little_ fools, indeed! You know very well that _you_
daren't lay a finger on the least of us, whether we're beneath your
notice or no. An ostrich is a big bird, but its white feathers are
chiefly of use in helping it to run away." He went to Eden's bedside,
for the child was still sobbing wit