ations. But the contemptuous exterior hid a
self-reproving heart, and he felt how far more worthy Owen and Montagu
were than he. How gladly would he have changed places with them; how
much he would have given to recover some of their forfeited esteem.

The master on duty was Mr Rose, and after tea he left the room for a
few minutes while the tables were cleared for "preparation," and the
boys were getting out their books and exercises. All the study and
classroom boys were expected to go away during this interval; but Eric,
not noticing Mr Rose's entrance, sat gossiping with Wildney about the
dinner and its possible consequences to the school.

He was sitting on the desk carelessly, with one leg over the other, and
bending down towards Wildney. He had just told him that he looked like
a regular little sunbeam in the smoking-room of "The Jolly Herring," and
Wildney was pretending to be immensely offended by the simile.

"Hush! no more talking," said Mr Rose, who did everything very gently
and quietly. Eric heard him, but he was inclined to linger, and had
always received such mild treatment from Mr Rose, that he didn't think
he would take much notice of the delay. For the moment he did not, so
Wildney began to chatter again.

"All study-boys to leave the room," said Mr Rose.

Eric just glanced round and moved slightly; he might have gone away, but
that he caught a satirical look in Wildney's eye, and besides wanted to
show off a little indifference to his old master, with whom he had had
no intercourse since their last-mentioned conversation.

"Williams, go away instantly; what do you mean by staying after I have
dismissed you?" said Mr Rose sternly.

Every one knew what a favourite Eric had once been, so this speech
created a slight titter. The boy heard it just as he was going out of
the room, and it annoyed him, and called to arms all his proud and
dogged obstinacy. Pretending to have forgotten something, he walked
conceitedly back to Wildney, and whispered to him, "I shan't go if he
chooses to speak like that."

A red flush passed over Mr Rose's cheek; he took two strides to Eric,
and laid the cane sharply once across his back.

Eric was not quite himself, or he would not have acted as he had done.
His potations, though not deep, had, with the exciting events of the
evening, made his head giddy, and the stroke of the cane, which he had
not felt now for two years, roused him to madness. He bounded up