"By heavens, this is _too_ bad!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot with
anger. "What have I ever done to you young blackguards, that you should
treat me thus? Have I ever been a bully? Have I ever harmed one of you?
And _you_, too, Vernon Williams!"
The little boy trembled and looked ashamed under his noble glance of
sorrow and scorn.
"Well, I _know_ who has put you up to this; but you shall not escape so.
I shall thrash you every one."
Very quietly he suited the action to the word, sparing none. They took
it patiently enough, conscious of richly deserving it; and when it was
over, Vernon said, "Forgive me, Montagu. I am very sorry, and will never
do so again." Montagu, without deigning a reply, motioned them to go,
and then sat down, full of grief, on his bed. But the outrage was not
over for that night, and no sooner had he put out the light than he
became painfully aware that several boys were stealing into the room,
and the next moment he felt a bolster fall on his head. He was out of
bed in an instant, and with a few fierce and indignant blows, had
scattered the crowd of his cowardly assailants, and driven them away.
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