were allowed to sit in any of the classrooms
except their legitimate occupants. The rule, however, was very
generally overlooked, and hence Eric, always glad of an opportunity to
escape from the company of Barker and his associates, became a constant
frequenter of his friend's new abode. Here they used to make themselves
very comfortable. Joining the rest, they would drink coffee or
chocolate, and amuse themselves over the fire with _Punch_, or some
warlike novel in a green or yellow cover. One of them very often read
aloud to the rest; and Eric, being both a good reader and a merry
intelligent listener, soon became quite a favourite among the other
boys.

Mr Rose had often seen him sitting there, and left him unmolested; but
if ever Mr Gordon happened to come in and notice him, he invariably
turned him out, and after the first offence or two, had several times
set him an imposition. This treatment gave fresh intensity to his now
deeply-seated disgust at his late master, and his expressions of
indignation at "Gordon's spite" were loud and frequent.

One day Mr Gordon had accidentally come in, and found no one there but
Upton and Eric; they were standing very harmlessly by the window, with
Upton's arm resting kindly on Eric's shoulder, as they watched with
admiration the network of rippled sunbeams that flashed over the sea.
Upton had just been telling Eric the splendid phrase, "anerhithmon
gelasma ponton", which he had stumbled upon in an Aeschylus lesson that
morning, and they were trying which would hit on the best rendering of
it. Eric stuck up for the literal sublimity of "the innumerable
laughter of the sea," while Upton was trying to win him over to "the
many-twinkling smile of ocean." They were enjoying the discussion, and
each stoutly maintaining his own rendering, when Mr Gordon entered.

On this occasion he was particularly angry: he had an especial dislike
of seeing the two boys together, because he fancied that the younger had
grown more than usually conceited and neglectful since he had been under
the fifth-form patronage; and he saw in Eric's presence there a new case
of wilful disobedience.

"Williams, here _again_!" he exclaimed sharply; "why, sir, you seem to
suppose that you may defy rules with impunity! How often have I told
you that no one is allowed to sit here, except the regular occupants?"

His voice startled the two boys from their pleasant discussion.

"No other master takes any n