sat gloomily on the hard form,
impatiently watching the minute-hand skulk round the mean dull face of
the clock above the chimney-piece, while around him one boy after
another droned out a listless translation of the work before him,
interrupted by mild corrections and comments from the master.

What a preposterous change from all his ordinary habits! At this very
time, only twenty-four hours since, he was stepping slowly and
majestically towards his accustomed omnibus, which was waiting with
deference for him to overtake it; he was taking his seat, saluted
respectfully by the conductor and cheerily by his fellow-passengers, as
a man of recognised mark and position.

Now that omnibus would halt at the corner of Westbourne Terrace in vain,
and go on its way Bankwards without him. He was many miles away--in the
very last place where anyone would be likely to look for him, occupying
the post of "whipping-boy" to his miserable son!

Was ever an inoffensive and respectable gentleman placed in a more false
and ridiculous position?

If he had only kept his drawer locked, and hidden the abominable Garuda
Stone away from Dick's prying eyes; if he had let the moralising alone;
if Boaler had not been so long fetching that cab, or if he had not
happened to faint at the critical moment--what an immense difference any
one of these apparent trifles would have made.

And now what was he to do to get out of this incongruous and distasteful
place? It was all very well to say that he had only to insist upon a
hearing from the Doctor, but what if, as he had very grave reason to
fear, the Doctor should absolutely refuse to listen, should even proceed
to carry out his horrible threat? Must he remain there till the holidays
came to release him? Suppose Dick--as he certainly would unless he was
quite a fool--declined to receive him during the holidays? It was
absolutely necessary to return home at once; every additional hour he
passed in imprisonment made it harder to regain his lost self.

Now and then he roused himself from all these gloomy thoughts to observe
his companions. The boys at the upper end, near Mr. Blinkhorn, were
fairly attentive, and he noticed one small smug-faced boy about half-way
up, who, while a class-mate was faltering and blundering over some
question, would cry "I know, sir. Let me tell him. Ask me, sir!" in a
restless agony of superior information.

Down by Paul, however, the discipline was relaxed enough, as p