downfall was checked half way, and a sudden silence fell upon them. They
all expected him to fly at his tormentor like a young tiger, and Damase
evidently expected it too, for he stepped back a little, and his grinning
face sobered as he assumed a defensive attitude.

But Frank had no thought of striking. That was not his way of defending
his religion, much as he was willing to endure rather than be unfaithful.
Drawing himself up to his full height, and looking a splendid type of
righteous indignation, he commanded the attention of all as in clear,
strong tones, holding his sturdy fists close to his sides as though he
dared not trust them elsewhere, and looking straight into Damase's eyes,
lie exclaimed,--

"Aren't you ashamed to do such an unmanly thing--you, who are twice my
size and age? I have done nothing to you. Why should you torment me? And
just when I want most to be quiet, too!"

Then, turning to the other men with a gesture of appeal that was
irresistible, he cried,--

"Do you think it's fair, fellows, for that man to plague me so when I've
done him no harm? Why don't you stop him? You can do it easy enough. He's
nothing but a big coward."

Frank's anger had risen as he spoke, and this last sentence slipped out
before he had time to stop it. No sooner was it uttered than he regretted
it; but the bolt had been shot, and it went straight to its mark. While
Frank had been speaking, Damase was too keen of sight and sense not to
notice that the manly speech and fine self-control of the boy were
causing a quick revulsion of feeling in his hearers, and that unless