They pinched her, they bit her,
they rubbed out her sums, they shut up her lesson-books and lost her
place, they put bitten crusts into her plate, and did whatever they
knew she most disliked, whenever Miss Fosbrook or Sam was not in the
way; but she never told. She did not choose to be called a tell-
tale; and besides, they really did not succeed in making her life
miserable, so much was she pleased with the real kindness her trouble
had brought out from Susan and Sam. Susan could not prevent the
persecution of the two naughty little boys, but she defended her
sister to her utmost; and Sam cuffed them if they said a word or
lifted a finger against Bessie before him; and he gave her such
notice and kindness as she never had received from him before. One
afternoon, when he was going to walk to Bonchamp, he asked leave for
her to come with him, and would take nobody else; and hot day as it
was, Bessie had never had such a charming walk. She kept herself
from making one single fuss; and in return, he gathered wild
strawberries for her, showed her a kingfisher, and took her to look
in at a very grand aquarium in the fishing-tackle maker's window,
where she saw some gold-fish, and a most comical little newt.
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