waters of the Bay in spite of the frequently sharp difference of level.
At either end of the lock was a drawbridge in two sections raised from
the centre to let the larger vessels through. The place was full of
interesting sights, and Keith loved in particular to press right up
against the edge of the raised bridge as some steamer or small sailing
vessel glided leisurely in or out of the ever shifting waters of
the lock.

At first it never occurred to him that he might walk around by the other
bridge when the one right in his way happened to be open, and so he was
late at school several times in quick succession. The first time he was
warned. The second he was placed in a corner of the room with his face
to the wall and kept there for about one quarter of an hour. The third
time the elder Miss Ahlberg applied a ruler to the finger-tips of his
left hand, which she held in a firm grasp within one of her own.

The physical sensation gave the boy a terrible shock. No one had ever
really hurt him before. The spankings administered at home once in a
very great while were like thunderstorms, with a great deal of noise and
small harm done. This was something else, and more intimidating than the
pain was the manifest intention of the teacher to inflict it. Her face
was tense and her eyes flashed fire. Worst of all, however, was the
shame of it, for the punishment was applied in front of the
whole school.

When Keith retired to his own seat sobbing bitterly, he felt that he
could never look the other children in the face, and that they probably
would shun him as a pariah. The only thing would be to tell his mother
that he could not go back to school again. He was still shaking with
sobs, when he heard a boy on the chair behind him whisper into his ear: