Yes," said Eric, starting up with sudden energy; "he _shall_ forgive
us--_you_ at any rate. I will not leave him till he does. Cheer up,
Charlie, cheer up, and come along."

Filled with an irresistible impulse, he pushed Carter aside, and sprang
down stairs three steps at a time, with Wildney following him. They
went straight for the Doctor's study, and without waiting for the answer
to their knock at the door, Eric walked up to Dr Rowlands, who sate
thinking in his arm-chair by the fire, and burst out passionately, "Oh,
sir, forgive us, forgive us this once."

The Doctor was completely taken by surprise, so sudden was the
intrusion, and so intense was the boy's manner. He remained silent a
moment from astonishment, and then said with asperity--

"Your offence is one of the most dangerous possible. There could be no
more perilous example for the school, than the one you have been
setting, Williams. Leave the room," he added with an authoritative
gesture; "my mind is made up."

But Eric was too excited to be overawed by the master's manner; an
imperious passion blinded him to all ordinary considerations, and,
heedless of the command, he broke out again--

"Oh, sir, try me but once, _only_ try me. I promise you most faithfully
that I will never again commit the sin. Oh, sir, do, do trust me, and I
will be responsible for Wildney too."

Dr Rowlands, seeing that in Eric's present mood he must and would be
heard, unless he were ejected by actual force, began to pace silently up
and down the room in perplexed and anxious thought; at last he stopped
and turned over the pages of a thick school register, and found Eric's
name.

"It is not your first offence, Williams, even of this very kind. That
most seriously aggravates your fault."

"Oh, sir! give us one more chance to mend. Oh, I feel that I _could_ do
such great things, if you will but be merciful, and give me time to
change. Oh, I entreat you, sir, to forgive us only this once, and I
will never ask again. Let us bear _any_ other punishment but this. Oh,
sir," he said, approaching the Doctor in an imploring attitude, "spare
us this one time for the sake of our friends."

The head-master made no reply for a time, but again paced the room in
silence. He was touched, and seemed hardly able to restrain his
emotion.

"It was my deliberate conclusion to expel you, Williams. I must not
weakly yield to entreaty. You must go."

Eric wrung his hands in a