very_ hard.
The house is so bad, and no one helps me except Bliss. I don't think
you were ever troubled as I am, Walter."

"Never mind, Charlie. Only don't go wrong whatever they do to you. You
don't know how much this will smooth your way all the rest of your
school-life. It's quite true what you say, Charlie, and the state of
the school is far worse than ever knew it; but that's all the more
reason we should do our duty, isn't it."

"O Walter, but I _know_ they'll make me do wrong some day. I wish I
were at home. I wish I might leave. I get thrashed and kicked and
abused every night, Walter, and almost all night long."

"_Do_ you?" asked Walter, in angry amazement. "I knew that you were
rather bullied--Eden told me that--but I never knew it was so bad as you
say. By jove, Charlie, I should like to catch some one bullying you,
and--well, I'll warrant that he shouldn't do it again."

"O, I forgot, Walter, I oughtn't to have told you; they made me promise
not. Only it _is_ so wretched."

"Never mind, my poor little Charlie," said Walter. "Do what's right and
shame the devil. I'll see if I can't devise some way of helping you;
but anyhow, hold up till the end of term, and then no doubt papa will
take you away if you still wish it. But what am I to do without you,
Charlie?"

"You're a dear, dear good brother," said Charlie, gratefully; "and but
for you, Walter, I should have given in long ago."

"No, Charlie, not for me, but for a truer friend than even I can be,
though I love you with all my heart. But will you promise me one thing
faithfully?"

"Yes, that I will."

"Well, promise me then that, do what they will, they shan't make you
tell a lie, or do anything else that you know to be wrong."

"I'll promise you, Walter, if I can," said the little boy humbly; "but
I've been doing my best for a long time."

"You _couldn't_ tell a lie, Charlie boy, without being found out; _that_
I feel sure of," said Walter, smiling, as he held his brother's
ingenuous face between his hands, and looked at it. "I don't doubt you
for an instant; but I'll have a talk with Power about you. As head of
the school he may be able to do something, perhaps. It's Kenrick's duty
properly, but--"

"Kenrick, Walter? He's of no use; he lets the house do just as it
likes, and I think he must have taken a dislike to me, for he turned me
off quite roughly from being his fag."

"Never mind him or any one else, Charlie. You'