Owen, again, was a very different boy.  His merit was a ceaseless diligence, in which it was doubtful whether ambition or conscientiousness had the greatest share.  Reserved and thoughtful, unfitted for or indifferent to most games, he was anything but a favorite with the rest, and Eric rather respected than liked him.  When he first came, he had been one of the most natural butts for Barker’s craving ill-nature, and for a time he had been tremendously bullied.  But gradually his mental superiority asserted itself.  He took everything 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 silent contempt.