He had always seemed like a mild, shy, mother-boy sort of chap.
He had been hazed and had cried; but he wouldn't beg and he never squealed.

After that Browning had taken him under his wing, had fought his battles, and had stood by him through the freshman year.

Anybody who was looking for trouble could find it by imposing on Horner; and Browning, for all of his laziness, could fight like a tiger when he was aroused.
Some of the students clapped their hands in approbation of Tad's plain words, and there was a general stir.

One fellow proposed that everybody unmask, so that all would be on a level with Horner, but the little fellow quickly cried: "Don't do it! You'd all be spotted, and the faculty would know who to investigate if anything should happen to Diamond.

If I'm fired, I want you fellows to settle with him for me." "We'll do it--we'll do it, Tad!" cried more than twenty voices.
Diamond showed his white, even teeth and laughed shortly.
"Perhaps you think that will scare me," he sneered.