Eric listened admiringly and felt sure he should like him.
Barker was put on next.

He bungled through the Latin in a grating irresolute sort of a way, with several false quantities, for each of which the next boy took him up.

Then he began to construe;--a frightful confusion of nominatives without verbs, accusatives translated as ablatives, and perfects turned into prepositions ensued, and after a hopeless flounder, during which Mr.Gordon left him entirely to himself, Barker came to a full stop; his catastrophe was so ludicrous, that Eric could not help joining in the general titter Barker scowled.
"As usual, Barker," said the master, with a curl of the lip.

"Hold out your hand!" Barker did so, looking sullen defiance, and the cane immediately descended on his open palm.

Six similar cuts followed, during which the form looked on, not without terror; and Barker, squeezing his hands tight together, went back to his seat.
"Williams, translate the piece in which Barker has just failed!" Eric did as he was bid, and got through it pretty well.