I was mistaken. Go." And so saying, he waved them to their seats with
imperious disdain.

They went, looking sheepish, and ashamed. Eric, deeply vexed, kept
twisting and untwisting a bit of paper, without raising his eyes, and
even Barker thoroughly repented his short-sighted treachery; the rest
were silent and miserable.

At twelve o'clock two boys lingered in the room to speak to Mr. Gordon;
they were Eric Williams and Edwin Russell, but they were full of very
different feelings.

Eric stepped to the desk first. Mr. Gordon looked up.

"You! Williams, I wonder that you have the audacity to speak to me.
Go--I have nothing to say to you!"

"But, sir, I want to tell you that--"

"Your guilt is only too clear, Williams. You will hear more of this. Go,
I tell you."

Eric's passion overcame him; he stamped furiously on the ground, and
burst out, "I _will_ speak, sir; you have been unjust to me for a long
time, but I will _not_ be--"

Mr. Gordon's cane fell sharply across the boy's back; he stopped, glared
for a moment; and then saying:

"Very well, sir! I shall tell Dr. Rowlands that you strike before you