As a general rule, no boys were allowed to sit in any of the class-rooms 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 favorite 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 net-work of rippled sunbeams that flashed over the sea.  Upton had just been telling Eric the splendid phrase [Greek:  anerithmon gelasma pontion], 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 notice of it, sir,” said Upton.

“I have nothing to do with other masters, Williams, you will bring me the fourth Georgic, written out by Saturday morning, for your repeated disobedience.  Upton, I have a great mind to punish you also, for tempting him to come here.”

This was a mistake on Mr. Gordon’s part, of which Upton took immediate advantage.

“I have no power to prevent it, sir, if he wishes it.  Besides,” he continued, with annoying blandness of tone, “it would be inhospitable; and I am too glad of his company.”