He looked so alone as he sat there eating his lunch in silence. Dorothy stared at Benjamin with a feeling of pity. She had just come from the little play house she had built by the river where she had eaten all of her lunch except for three tiny carrots. She had brought far too many carrots that day. There were still several more in the pocket of her jacket which was hanging up in the schoolhouse.
I wonder why no one is playing with Benjamin? she thought, fingering the smooth vegetables in her hand. It wasn't usual for him to play with the older boys. He was too cowardly to do the dangerous things they did. But today the others were only playing ball, and it looked like the sort of game Benjamin would have enjoyed.
There was something about the little boy that Dotty couldn't help but like. He was always kind, and he was quiet and shy just like her. Maybe he'd like to play with me! she thought with sudden joy. With a warm feeling in her heart, she stepped forward with a purpose. Dorothy usually wasn't good at making new friends or talking with the other children. She was always nervous about starting conversations. But somehow she didn't feel scared to talk to this boy.
"Hello, Benjamin!" she said merrily. "What did you bring for lunch?" She sat down on the ground beside him and glanced at his messy hands to glean an answer. Benjamin looked at her for a moment with wide eyes. He almost seemed surprised that she was talking to him.
"I'm eatin' a cheese sammich," he answered with his mouth full. "Ma made it for me."
"Oh, that's nice!" the girl said brightly. "I ate some turnips and some carrots and leftover porridge."
The boy looked down at the vegetables in her hand and licked his lips. "I like carrots," he said, his eyes still fixed on her uneaten treat.
Dorothy giggled at his hint. "Oh, I'm glad," she said, "because I'm too full to eat these ones. Would you eat them for me, Benjamin?"
Without a moment's pause, the little boy snatched the carrots from her hand and began munching on one like a starving animal. An outburst of happy laughter rang through the air as the other children played. Dorothy saw Benjamin look at them with a pouty face.
"Don't you like to play ball?" she asked.
"Yeah," the little boy answered, looking down at the ground. "But I can't play. Simon said I was in trouble."
"Why?" Dorothy asked.
Benjamin shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. That's just what he said. He said I couldn't get up till school starts again too."
"Oh," Dorothy gave him a pitying look, but she didn't know what to say. She didn't think it was very nice of Simon to punish him so harshly. But then, she didn't know what Benjamin had done wrong either. She didn't want to know, she just wanted to make the boy happy.
"Well, I know a game we can play right here," she said as Benjamin ate his last carrot. She leaned forward and drew a few lines in the dirt. Then she began a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. Benjamin was eager to play, and Dorothy made sure that she always let him win. It made the boy very happy, but he still wished that he could have played ball.
"Maybe for my birthday," he began, drawing a circle on the ground. "Ma and Pa will get me a ball! I sure do want one!" He grinned and hesitated for a moment. "I sure would like more carrots too," he mumbled quietly.
Dorothy smiled sweetly. "I have a few more in the schoolhouse," she said. "I'll be right back with them!"
She jumped up from the ground, her heart aglow with delight. It felt so good to share. She ran as fast as her broken shoes would carry her, clomping up the stairs clumsily and racing into the schoolhouse. There she grabbed the carrots from her jacket and hurried out again. As she ran back down the steps, she hardly noticed the other children, but one boy in particular had noticed her.
Dorothy set her foot down on the last step, ready to bound off toward Benjamin with her gift. But just before she sprang down from the steps, she felt something hit her shoe, and she lunged forward.
The dust flew into the girl's face as she hit the ground, and she felt the pebbles cut into her arm. Almost trembling in shock, she got up and looked around in confusion. What had made her trip? Could she really have been that clumsy? All she could see was Julian's straight face staring back at hers. He was sitting on the bottom step with his legs spread out in the walkway.
"Oh!" Dotty gasped. "Did I trip over you?" She dusted her dress off and put a hand over the stinging scrapes on her arm. "I'm so sorry!"
The boy's brow wrinkled with a look of confusion and dissatisfaction. Dorothy wrung her hands nervously. She could tell he was upset with her. But in just a moment, he laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
"That's alright," he said with a sneering smile. "Clumsy people do stupid things. And with shoes like those ones," he added, nudging her worn out boots with his nice ones, "Who could blame you?"
Dorothy was silent. She didn't know whether he was being kind or whether he was still angry with her, but there was something in his voice that put a chill down her spine. She pressed her lips together, trying to think of something to say. But she just couldn't find the words. All of a sudden, she felt very nervous and frightened. Not far away, Jack Paine listened with a cruel grin on his face. Quietly, she turned to walk away.
"Hey!" Julian shouted. The girl stood still, her heart pounding in her chest. "It's rude to walk away just like that. What's your name, kid?" Dorothy looked back at the boy, but she still couldn't find the voice to speak. The boy rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with you? Cat got your tongue? Here, I'll show you how this is done." He got up from his seat and walked calmly toward her. Then, with cold dignity, he reached out his hand. "My name is Julian Gray. What's yours?" he asked.
"D-d-dotty," the girl stuttered quietly.
Julian squinted his eyes. "Spotty?!" he burst. "What kind of a name is that?" Jack cackled as he listened. "Glad to meet you Spotty!" Julian went on, shaking her hand vigorously. A look of hurt spread over Dorothy's face.
"No," she began pleadingly, "that isn't my name."
"Oh, I see!" Julian said quickly. "You said your name was Knotty! I guess that's because of all those tangled knots in that rat's nest of yours!" He tugged hard on one of Dorothy's red curls and roared with laughter again. Dotty pulled her hair across one of her shoulders and looked down at the ground with tears in her eyes.
"You cryin'?" Julian asked in surprise and amusement. "Well, I guess any girl would if her name was Knotty. Don't worry, kid. Maybe if you combed that hair of yours once in a while, you wouldn't be so knotty!"
From a long way away, the sound of Julian and Jack's voices shattered the beautiful poem which Emiline had been reading. She looked up with a frown, but in a flash, her irritation turned to horror. Dorothy looked pale and afraid as Julian sneered down at her. In fury Emma stomped toward the villainous boys, determined to save her friend.
"What are you doing to this poor girl?" she demanded angrily. She wrapped a caring arm around Dorothy, and the little girl clung to her for protection. Julian was still trying to control his chuckles.
"What are you, her mother hen?" he asked with a snicker and a crooked smile. Emma stared at him angrily. "Better fly away, chicken. I'm not in a mood to be hen pecked right now." He narrowed his eyes threateningly, and the girls' hearts throbbed with fear. There was something so evil about the boy's voice, something so ruthless about his face.
"You have a lot of nerve!" Emiline said with a quavering voice. "How dare you speak to me like that."
"I dare to do a lot of things," Julian snorted. He glanced back at Jack and gave a meaningful nod with his head. Emma took a couple steps backward.
"Yeah," Jack began, stepping beside the boy. "There's a lot of things I'd do too. So if you know what's good for you, you'd better..." Suddenly, his threatening voice choked, and he cowered with a look of fear. Emiline could see that his mean little eyes weren't looking at her anymore. A long shadow fell across them as Peter stepped closer.
Jack went white and slunk away with a nervous laugh. Julian's dark eyes flashed with anger. He stood motionless, staring at his rival defiantly. But Emma thought she saw a shadow of terror steal his confidence for an instant. Without a word, she slipped away, her heart still pounding wildly. She and Dorothy stopped a safe distance from the boys and looked back at them to see what would happen. They were glad that Peter had come to their rescue. But now, their hearts were full of worry for their friend. Julian was a hefty boy, and as wicked as his temper seemed, Emma was afraid of what he might do.
"You think you're pretty tough, don't you," Peter said angrily. "You think it's strong to taunt people who are younger than you? People who don't fight back?"
"Well, aren't you the hero for defending them?" Julian growled. "Mind your own business. I was just having some fun!"
"It isn't fun to hurt people," Peter said defensively. "The next time I see you bullying anyone, I'll make it my business to stop you."
Julian almost clenched his fist in his fury, but instead he cast the boy a hateful glare and went back into the schoolhouse. From a distance, Benjamin began to clap, and Emiline sighed in relief.
"Good for you, Peter!" Benjamin laughed proudly. He bounced up and down on the dusty spot where Simon had told him to stay. From that place, he had watched the whole, horrific scene, but he hadn't dared to get up. Peter looked solemn and stern, but his eyes gleamed with victory.
"That horrible boy!" Emma exclaimed. "And that evil Jack Paine is taking his side! I think they should both be punished."
Dorothy looked up at her through teary eyes. "Oh, Emma, don't say that," she said with a shudder. "I don't want them to get hurt. Besides, it was partly my fault. I shouldn't have been running down the stairs so fast. Julian was probably just angry with me because I tripped over him."
Emiline looked down at her with a sad smile. Poor Dorothy, she thought. She's just too sweet for her own good! She squeezed the girl tighter. It wasn't an accident! she told herself bitterly. I know it wasn't. That wicked boy tripped her on purpose.
She looked down at the ground and controlled her anger. She couldn't let herself go on like this. If she allowed it, she would begin to hate Julian, and that wouldn't be right.
Peter wasn't thinking as reasonably as Emma was. He looked at Dorothy's scraped and bloody arms and felt a stab of fury in his heart.
"Dorothy," he began seriously, "that wasn't your fault. If he ever hurts you again, he'll have to pay for it. Stay away from him. He's a troublemaker. He's evil."
"But Jesus loves him," the little girl said in a sad voice. "And someday, maybe he'll change. Please don't be angry with him. He might not have meant to trip me. Even if he did, I forgive him. Maybe he's having a bad day. Maybe something's making him feel bad inside."
Peter and Emiline drew in a deep breath to keep themselves from arguing with her sweet words. Then Dorothy wriggled away from Emma's arms and went to Benjamin's side.
"Here you are, Benjamin," she said, trying to regain her cheerfulness. The school bell tolled as she handed him the dusty carrots. "You'll have to eat them quickly. It's time for school again."
"Oh good!" Benjamin cried. "Now I can get up, can't I Peter?"
His older brother looked at him curiously. "You didn't have to stay there," he laughed.
"But Simon said—"
"Never mind what Simon said, he isn't the one in charge, I am!" Peter interrupted. "Now come on."
The children hurried back into the classroom and studied until evening as usual. But things at school would never be completely normal from then on. Julian was changing everything, and Peter couldn't stand it. He hated the way this new bully chose the youngest and the frailest children to taunt and harm. He couldn't think of anything more despicable. Now, the minute Julian began to tease or prank, he put an end to the boy's cruel games. Soon, all of the littler children were staying close to Peter McDougall. He was their only protection, their only defender. It made Julian enraged.